Congress Returned This Week to Face a Four-Week Ambitious Stretch

Among the items on the agenda for the returning Congress are the following: moving ahead on sweeping health care legislation, progress on writing the 12 annual appropriations bills, and global warming legislation. The House expects to markup its 12 spending bills before the month long August recess. Senate Finance and HELP Committees expect to have their health care legislation and markups before the July 4th week-long recess that begins June 29th. Health care is what is on the front burner is pushing other issues that divide the Democratic majority to the sidelines for now. President Obama has said he wants health care reform passed by the August recess and he is planning for he and his Cabinet officials to take to the airwaves to push reform this year.