Senate confirms Blanche as AG, passes bill to avoid shutdown before August recess
Senate lawmakers worked through early morning Saturday to pass key legislation while delaying others ahead of their weeks-long break.
WASHINGTON —
In a last-minute rush before leaving for break, the Senate worked late Friday night into early morning Saturday, confirming Todd Blanche as U.S. Attorney General in a narrow 50-49 vote.
That’s not all.
The Senate also approved a continuing resolution (CR) to avoid a shutdown and keep the government temporarily funded past an October deadline through to mid-December.
Prior to Saturday, the Senate overwhelmingly passed a bill named after the late Sen. Lindsey Graham on Friday, granting the president the authority to impose tariffs and sanctions on Russia and Iran.
Republicans also reportedly struck a late-night deal with President Donald Trump and other conservatives to delay a vote on a budget resolution that includes billions in funding for defense, farm aid, and election integrity grants. The agreement also postponed action on Trump’s must-pass SAVE America Act, setting it up for future debate when the Senate returns in the fall.
Separately, Senate Republicans held a vote Saturday morning on a standalone measure requiring photo identification for federal elections. The measure failed 52-46, with Democrats largely voting against it.
Other major legislative priorities were left unfinished, including a sweeping bill backed by cryptocurrency companies that would have enacted more industry-friendly rules.
Another delayed bill, the Protect College Sports Act, would have established nationwide standards for name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals for college athletes. Trump had pushed the Senate to stay until the bill was passed, but it was ultimately postponed.
It remains to be seen if and when the tabled bills will be revisited once the Senate returns to work in mid-September.
Watch more on the Senate’s session before August recess: