With the Senate expected to go on an extended recess as early as Thursday, Republican leaders are staging a “last-ditch effort” to score legislative wins this week ahead of the midterms — though one GOP senator openly doubted it would make any difference with voters, Punchbowl News reported.
The outlet asked Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) whether leadership had “failed when it comes to legislating on issues that resonate the most with voters.”
His response was telling.
“Well, they certainly didn’t do it,” Hawley told Punchbowl News.
When asked “whether this week’s votes will make a difference with voters,” Hawley gave an even more pessimistic answer.
“What, to put up bills that they know will fail?” Hawley said. “We’ll find out, I guess.”
The Senate is scheduled to be in session through Friday, though Punchbowl News reported Tuesday that Senate Majority Leader John Thune may “potentially send senators home a day early to campaign.” Few bills remain feasible for the Senate to pass by Thursday, with one on banning congressional stock trading and legislation designed to prevent Americans from footing the energy bills for AI data centers both expected to fail.
Republican leadership has accused Democrats of “blocking” bills to “deny vulnerable Republican incumbents a win,” Punchbowl News reported.
Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) rejected that characterization, telling Punchbowl News that the GOP’s struggles were of their own making.
“We all have ‘main character syndrome’ around here. And the idea that we’re going to change the way the public is viewing the party in power at the last moment with a symbolic vote, I think is — I mean, best wishes,” Schatz said.
Some Senate Republicans have pushed to advance bills that have little chance of passing, with Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH) telling Punchbowl News it was “a chance for all of us to tell the voters that we heard them.” However, several GOP senators, Punchbowl News reported, worry that it “may be too little, too late” to make a meaningful impact on the GOP’s midterm prospects.
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