With less than three weeks before the end of the fiscal year, Congress is in a scramble to finish a growing to-do list. The Senate returns to D.C. Monday. The full House reconvenes next week.

Here are some of the items on their plate:

• Both chambers’ Armed Services committees have sent fiscal year 2022 defense authorization legislation to the floor. While some House-Senate negotiations are taking place behind the scenes, both chambers need to pass their versions of the bill before proceeding to formal conference negotiations and final passage.
• Congress has not completed work on the annual appropriations bills, which means it will need to pass a continuing resolution to keep the government open past Sept. 30.
• Democratic leaders and the White House are still trying to pass $3.5 trillion in spending toward the party’s priorities while they can use a budget reconciliation process to take advantage of a 50-vote threshold for Senate passage. But moderates and progressives on Capitol Hill still haven’t settled on a plan that can get through both chambers. House committees are working on this legislation Monday and Tuesday.
• The nation is also about to hit its current debt limit, and Congress must act to ensure the U.S. doesn’t default on its debt in October or November, as AP reported.

Capitol Hill is also beefing up security this week ahead of a Sept. 18 extremist rally in support of those accused of breaching the Capitol on Jan. 6.

Army National Guard photo by 2nd Lt. Ashley Goodwin