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What's that one chore you put off and put off? It's on your to-do list all the time, but never gets scratched off, so you just move it to your next list knowing it most likely will get put off again. For me, it's dusting, a fairly simple chore but one I do get around to when the dust is thick enough to start a vegetable garden.
For Congress it's a different story. I am sure they pay someone to dust for them, and I am thinking they need to begin paying someone to do our nation's budget every year. Everyone in Congress knows the federal budget is due by September 30 each year, yet this year, 2026, marks the 30th year in a row they have failed to pass a budget on time.
By law, our representatives are all adults as they must be 25 years old to be elected to the House and 30 to be elected to the Senate. The problem is they act like children who are told to go clean their room, but instead slip out the back door to play games with the other kids which usually ends up in an argument, then return home and tell you it was the other kids’ fault.
For Congress, the single most important item on their to-do list is to pass a budget by September 30 and they can't do it. That begs the question, why not?
Obviously, there are things more important to them, things that they do first, moving the budget down the list, and then they do it again and again. What are those things more important than funding our country? Well, it's pretty simple to figure that out. It's their job they put over people and country and we see it unfold almost daily in the halls of congress.
Just a few days ago, they again kicked the (budget) can down the road by passing a Continuing Resolution (CR), funding the government at current levels until December 11. Why December 11? It's after the election, meaning they don't have to go on record passing a contentious budget that may cost them votes.
You want proof? Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House said it was good to "Wait till after the election." Representative Tom Cole said, "We bought the time that we need to get through the election." Others criticized the decision like Rep. Brad Schneider who said, 'Kicking the can down the road" to avoid district "work periods" and elections. (By the way, "work periods" are fancy words the use when they go home to campaign.)
So here we are, less than 30 days before the 2027 budget is due. They knew all year they wouldn't get it done so this CR was planned months ago. And unlike every other piece of legislation that passes or fails by strict voting down party lines, this CR passed by huge bipartisan votes, 370 to 48 in the House and 90 to 6 in the Senate. It seems the most important thing Congress is required to do, but don't do, is the only thing Washington can agree on.
Folks, there are only 12 appropriation bills that need passed by September 30 each year... just 12, and they have a year to do it. So far, with only weeks to go the House had passed three; The Agricultural, Military and National Security bills. The Senate hasn't passed any! The nine they didn't pass because they were too busy arguing all year are: Justice, Defense, Homeland Security, Legislation funding, Transportation, Interior Dept., Labor, Education, and General Government operations.
So, here's what's going to happen. After the November election they will have a month to pass all these department budgets by December 11. If you think they can do that, you are crazy, so only two things will happen. One, they will once again shut down the government, something they have done twice already this year, or two, they will pass another CR extending it until after the newly elected representatives are installed on January 3rd, 2027.
Folks, this is no way to run OUR country. The blame for this insubordinate habit belongs to both parties. Remember, this has happened now 30 years in a row, covering a span when both parties had control at different times. Clearly, the problem are the "parties". Aside from the representatives’ obsession with self-preservation (getting re-elected) and party loyalty, passing a budget is far down their list, evident by Speaker Johnson saying passing this CR was the "adult thing to do. I can tell you he doesn't speak for me because it was the "childish thing to do."
Kicking the can down the road decade after decade keeps bringing us closer to the "end of the road." Then what? Who knows?
Congress has an approval rating of only 15 percent. Clearly, Congress needs a clean and thorough "dusting"! This is something to keep in mind as the November election rolls around. It would be nice to elect new people who know how to "dust" and balance a checkbook!
Are you planning on voting for the current incumbents or possibly some new faces? I am curious and welcome your thoughts about the current congress and what needs to be done to make them do the work we hired them to do. Share with me at gregawtry@awtry.com.