ADVOCACY & POLICY UPDATE - September 14, 2026

Congress Returns for Final Session Before Midterms​

Appropriations

On Monday, September 14, both the House and Senate returned to Washington with 50 days remaining until the midterm elections. The House is scheduled to be in session through Thursday, September 17, marking its final scheduled week in Washington before Election Day on November 3. The Senate is currently scheduled to remain in session for the next three weeks. Both Chambers will be out of session for four weeks in October as they campaign ahead of the midterm elections.

This week, the House is expected to consider legislation addressing Russia sanctions and fraud, while artificial intelligence (AI) safety is also emerging as a focus following recent warning from Jacob Coxon, a former Anthropic researcher, about the risks posed by increasingly capable AI systems. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (NY) is calling for urgent congressional action, while Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (LA) has urged caution, warning that moving too quickly on regulation could undermine U.S. competitiveness with China. 

In the Senate, lawmakers are negotiating legislation that would require developers of advanced AI systems to take steps to mitigate known major risks, although it remains unclear whether the measure will advance this week. The Senate is also expected to focus on military funding and other legislation. The Senate could also take up the nomination of Keith Sonderling to serve as U.S. Secretary of Labor, which is pending on the Executive Calendar after advancing through the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee in July.

House Education and Workforce Committee Leadership

On Wednesday, September 9, House Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (VA) announced in a Dear Colleague letter that he is seeking to continue as the top Democrat on the Committee. Scott has led the Committee’s Democrats since 2015, including four years as Chair from 2019 to 2023. Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT) is challenging Scott for the position.

Click here to access the Dear Colleague letter.