The Senate returned to Washington, D.C., this week to continue work on annual appropriations bills and to advance President Donald Trump’s nominees. Republican leaders in the Senate are considering bundling three of those bills into a single package before the August recess. The proposed package would fund:

• The Department of Veterans Affairs and military construction projects
• The Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration
• The Departments of Commerce and Justice

Meanwhile, the House recessed last Wednesday after failing to reach consensus on how to compel the Trump administration to release files related to the case of Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender who died in 2019 and was known to have connections to powerful people.

Both chambers are behind schedule on the appropriations process and are expected to face a full agenda when they return in September. With the end of the fiscal year looming on Sept. 30, lawmakers will need to move quickly to avoid a potential government shutdown.