Congress returns with full plate as it aims to tackle health care, tax reform, and the budget before the end of the year

Congress returns from Fourth of July recess on Monday, with Republican lawmakers feeling the pressure to deliver the first major legislative victories for President Trump before the end of the year. Despite control of Congress, GOP efforts have flagged, with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell so far unable to scrape together the votes to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) have both offered their verdict on the replacement, the Better Care Reconciliation Act, calling the original bill likely "dead." McConnell can still attempt to make changes to win over particular Republicans, although The Associated Press reports "there's no sign he's made progress" on that front.

Also on the table is the budget, with not one of the 12 annual spending bills for federal agencies finished yet, and tax reform, a plan for which Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the administration would have in September. Trump's $1 trillion infrastructure plan, which the administration said would be out in "several weeks" seven weeks ago, is also still pending.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

But with Congress' August recess fast approaching, "let's be brutally honest," Politico Playbook writes. "[T]here is a better than even chance Congress leaves town at the end of this month without a single major legislative achievement to talk about back at home. Not one."