In a dramatic overnight session that concluded just before dawn, the U.S. Senate managed to confirm Todd Blanche as the nation’s 88th Attorney General and pass a bipartisan interim spending bill, effectively sidestepping an October government shutdown. However, the Senate’s departure before addressing several high-profile Republican initiatives has ignited frustration among conservatives. Notably absent from the Senate’s agenda was any attempt to pass the SAVE America Act, despite calls from some Republicans to prolong the session and bypass the August recess. Furthermore, the Senate failed to vote on a budget framework that could have paved the way for attaching election integrity measures, which could later be passed without a filibuster. While a test vote on a narrower voter ID bill, championed by Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, was blocked by Democrats, it served to put opponents on record and bolster Husted’s electoral prospects. The Protect College Sports Act, aimed at regulating money in intercollegiate athletics and endorsed by major athletic conferences, also stalled. Despite President Trump’s late-session endorsement and claims by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, that a vote was secured for September, no official docket placement has been confirmed. A procedural vote on cryptocurrency regulation is slated for September 15, but significant differences prevented any action during the summer session.
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