After a month-long congressional recess, lawmakers returned to Capitol Hill the week of September 7 to a long list of unfinished business and looming deadlines. Among the most pressing issues are the Iran nuclear agreement, fiscal year 2016 spending, a debt limit increase, and a reauthorization of MAP-21. 

As expected, the first order of business for both chambers following the August break was the proposed nuclear deal with Iran. The agreement, which was negotiated by the Obama administration, would limit Iran’s nuclear activities for a minimum of 10 years. In exchange, the U.S. and others would agree to lift international and financial sanctions that have been imposed on the country for years.

In the Senate, Democrats were able to filibuster a joint resolution disapproving of the agreement. However, Senate Republicans have indicated that they will once again attempt to move forward with consideration of the resolution next week. Should the chamber ultimately advance the measure, President Obama has indicated that he would veto it (there is enough support among Senate Democrats to sustain the president’s veto).

Across Capitol Hill, House Republicans attempted a more comprehensive attack on the administration’s foreign policy. On September 10, the lower chamber approved a resolution (H Res 411) asserting that the Obama administration has not provided the necessary information required for congressional review of the deal. The House is also likely to approve legislation (HR 3460) that would suspend the president’s authority to lift sanctions on Iran. Finally, the lower chamber is expected to reject another measure (HR 3461) that would express congressional approval of the nuclear agreement.

On the appropriations front, lawmakers have not yet reached an agreement on a new spending framework for fiscal year 2016 and beyond. With just over two weeks remaining before the October 1 start of the new fiscal year, Congress must decide whether to move forward with a full-year continuing resolution (CR), a short-term extension of funding, or a catch-all omnibus appropriations package that includes all 12 individual spending bills. Regardless of which option prevails, House and Senate leaders will need to act fast to keep basic government functions operating into October. 

Further complicating matters, House conservatives have insisted on using the appropriations process to block funding for Planned Parenthood. However, the controversial policy rider is a nonstarter for a large percentage of the Democratic caucus. For his part, the president has threatened to veto any spending bill that includes such language. 

On a related matter, lawmakers must soon grapple with the need to once again increase the nation’s debt limit. The Department of the Treasury has been using so-called “extraordinary measures” to enable the government to continue borrowing since the limit was last addressed in March. While Treasury Secretary Jack Lew has indicated that the debt ceiling will need to be raised by late October, he is urging Congress to act as soon as possible to avoid any disruptions in the financial markets.

In recent years, conservatives have viewed the debt ceiling battle as an opportunity to cut spending, while Democrats have insisted that any such measure be “clean” and straightforward. Notably, Senate Majority Leader McConnell (R-KY) and House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) have vowed to prevent the U.S. from defaulting on its debt obligations, but it remains to be seen how Congress will ultimately handle the next increase.

In other news, the House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee is in the process of finalizing a multi-year reauthorization of highway and transit programs. Prior to the August recess, and as previously reported, the Senate approved its own long-term bill – the Developing a Reliable and Innovative Vision for the Economy (DRIVE) Act (HR 22). While there was some speculation that the T&I Committee could mark up its own long-term bill next week, it appears that such consideration will be delayed until later this month, or possibly early October.

It should be noted that the most recent extension of MAP-21 (PL 114-41) will keep surface transportation programs operating until October 29. In addition, new estimates from the Department of Transportation show that the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) could remain solvent through June of 2016. Previous estimates had indicated that the HTF would run dry by December. While this came as good news to some, other lawmakers expressed concern that this could slow momentum for a new multi-year deal, as there would be less urgency to act.

Finally, the National Association of Counties (NACo) held a Washington, D.C. fly-in this week to advocate for the Payments-in-Lieu-of-Taxes (PILT) program. Mariposa County Supervisor Kevin Cann represented California’s counties in a series of meetings on Capitol Hill. He, along with a number of other county officials from across the nation, urged Congress to provide full funding for PILT in fiscal year 2016 and beyond.

In fiscal year 2015, Congress appropriated $442 million for the PILT program. However, unless the program is reauthorized or extended, this will be the last year of funding. While the fiscal year 2016 House Interior and Environment appropriations bill would provide an additional year of PILT funding, Congress has not finalized a new budget. Accordingly, the future of the PILT program, and therefore program funding to counties, remains uncertain.