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Senate Adjourns, Passes Funding Extension, Confirms AG, Delays Budget Plan

8/8/2026

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Senate Adjourns

The U.S. Senate adjourned for a five-week August recess on Saturday after passing a continuing resolution and confirming Todd Blanche as attorney general.
Republican leaders postponed the budget resolution and the SAVE America Act after a late-night meeting with President Donald Trump.
Senators approved continuing resolution funding government through Dec. 11 with a 90-6 vote.
Sen. Jon Husted’s voter-ID bill failed with 52 votes, eight short of the 60 required.

Right

Senate Recesses

The U.S. Senate adjourned for a five-week August recess after passing a continuing resolution and confirming Todd Blanche as attorney general.
Republican senators delayed the $150 billion budget blueprint, calling it premature and doomed, after consulting President Donald Trump, who agreed to postpone.
The plan would have used reconciliation to bypass the filibuster and give the Pentagon $60 billion.
They approved funding extension to December and passed Russia sanctions package before recess.

History

Historical Context

In 1995-96 a 21-day shutdown stopped federal work after President Bill Clinton and Republican leaders Newt Gingrich and Bob Dole could not resolve a $152 billion deficit gap. The 1980 Antideficiency Act rulings had made such funding gaps trigger closures, a pattern repeated in later crises. Today’s Senate recess after a brief continuing resolution mirrors that 1995 stopgap strategy.

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Senate Adjourns

The U.S. Senate adjourned for a five-week August recess on Saturday after passing a continuing resolution and confirming Todd Blanche as attorney general.
Republican leaders postponed the budget resolution and the SAVE America Act after a late-night meeting with President Donald Trump.
Senators approved continuing resolution funding government through Dec. 11 with a 90-6 vote.
Sen. Jon Husted’s voter-ID bill failed with 52 votes, eight short of the 60 required.

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