Congress is back for its final session before the November midterms, focusing on passing non-binding bills that can serve as messaging points rather than significant legislation. Key topics include artificial intelligence regulation and energy price relief related to AI data centers, which are particularly important for vulnerable Republicans. Other areas of focus may include college athlete pay regulations and cryptocurrency issues, though major legislative breakthroughs are unlikely given the approaching election.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-14,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Lawmakers home in on midterm messages as Congress returns to session
Congress returns for a short last session ahead of the midterm election with a full plate as lawmakers look for messaging bills they can take back to voters.
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they → home → voters
It's the last week both chambers are expected to be in until after the midterm election in November.
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chambers → expect → November
NPR congressional reporter Eric McDaniel is here in the studio to talk about it.
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McDaniel → talk → it
So what should we be paying attention to?
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we → pay → attention
Well, I think this week is probably best understood as a week of campaigning more than a week of legislating.
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week → think → legislating
Congress already did the one thing that they absolutely had to do before the election - extend government funding.
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they → do → funding
It now expires sometime in December.
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It → expire → December
Now legislators are going to move some messaging bills to try and show voters that they are, in fact, responsive to their concerns.
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they → go → concerns
Tell us about some of the things they're messaging on.
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they → tell → things
Well, we've got AI, which Congress knows basically universally that it should act on.
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it → get → that
They just can't agree how, even among Republicans.
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Democrats are calling for decisive action, as Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries put it in the House.
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Jeffries → call → House
Here's Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson knocking down the idea of an AI-development moratorium on CNN's "State Of The Union."
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Johnson → knock → Union
We need to handle this new technology like we have others in the past and make sure we do - we're doing everything we can responsibly to also not smother American innovation.
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we → need → innovation
We have to do both things simultaneously.
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We → have → things
We could see a vote designed to blunt the impact of energy price hikes associated with AI data centers, which is important in - everywhere, really, but also for vulnerable Republicans.
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which → see → Republicans
Though I will say we could see action on Russia sanctions.
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we → say → sanctions
The Senate passed that on a bipartisan basis.
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Senate → pass → basis
But the path through the House seems bumpier, right?
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path → seem → House
Democrats are concerned that it gives the president new tariff authorities, obviously the subject of much consternation this term.
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it → give → consternation
And Republicans are also somewhat soft on the bill, generally, about supporting Ukraine's war effort as a priority for the U.S.
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Republicans → support → U.S.
Even if this does pass, an analyst I talked to says it would only really be effective if the U.S. is committed to enforcement, which he said the government has a spotty record on.
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government → pass → record
Coming out of last week's Republican midterm convention, where do things stand in the campaign?
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things → come → campaign
I mean, I'll say a few things you've probably heard elsewhere on our air.
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you → mean → air
The president's party usually loses ground in the midterms, especially when the president is unpopular.
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president → lose → midterms
Candidates are having trouble pointing to things like Trump's tax cuts because people are frustrated with the high cost of living overall.
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people → have → living
Obviously, gas prices may be just one part of a whole household budget, but it happens to be the one that's plastered on giant signs every few blocks.
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that → happen → signs
It's easy to notice when it spikes.
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it → notice → ?
Election forecasts and polling have Democrats at a near lock to take the House and slight favorites to take the Senate.
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Democrats → have → Senate
They aren't letting people forget that on the campaign trail.
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people → let → trail
They're all over the airs, talking about things like action on AI data centers and, you know, just the general unpopularity of the president.
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you → talk → president
And Republicans are running out of time to change how they're seen.
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they → run → time
People have already begun voting.
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People → begin → ?
All rights reserved.
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rights → reserve → ?
Accuracy and availability of NPR transcripts may vary.
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Transcript text may be revised to correct errors or match updates to audio.
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text → revise → audio
Audio on npr.org may be edited after its original broadcast or publication.
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