House lawmakers return to Capitol Hill as Republicans hope to pass stopgap spending bill

The US House is back after a five-week recess. And this week, Republicans are focused a key legislative agenda item: passing a stopgap spending bill to stave off a possible government shutdown.

Currently, funding is guaranteed through 30 September, but after a year marked by record-breaking shutdowns, GOP House speaker Mike Johnson is hoping to advance a bill that would extend funding spending at its current levels until after the November midterms.

Johnson is expected to put a vote on the House floor this week, using a fast-track procedure that requires a two-thirds majority to pass.

Prior to the Senate heading home for their August recess, the upper chamber approved its own continuing resolution to keep the government until 11 December, this also included provisions like preventing political appointees having approvals over federal grants.

The House is set to leave Washington again at the end of this week for Labor Day recess, provided it can get through its to-do list.