Congress will return from their holiday recess on Tuesday, January 7th. With the passage and signing of the FY2020 spending package, preparations will soon begin for FY2021 allocations. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Maryland) expressed his goal for Congress to pass all 12 of the fiscal 2021 funding bills before October 1st, 2020. Some Republicans, while saying they agreed with the spirit of Hoyer’s goal, have expressed skepticism over the timeline.
The significant issue that overshadows Washington D.C. is the impeachment of President Trump and the impending trial in the U.S. Senate. Despite Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s current hold on sending the House of Representatives-passed articles of impeachment to the Senate, most Senators expect them to be sent and a trial to commence sometime in January. Once impeachment does eventually reach the Senate Floor, all other legislative business will likely be put on hold.