Senate Democrats, fresh off a string of legislative victories, return to Washington this week with a packed agenda before November’s midterm elections, including passing billions more in Ukraine and pandemic aid.
The party’s political fortunes have changed sharply amid the Supreme Court decision overturning a right to abortion, decreasing gas prices, strong job growth and the FBI’s investigation into former President Donald Trump. Congressional Democrats are seeking to further blunt what was once expected to be a major Republican wave.
Republicans, who want to capture control of both chambers, will try to bruise Democrats over inflation and tar the Democrats’ newly minted Inflation Reduction Act. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell predicted last week a recession is likely and vowed the GOP would block big spending bills if they win back the House or Senate. Not to be outdone, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy declared the nation already in a recession, though the unemployment rate has remained near 50-year lows.
