00:00 After a month-long August recess, lawmakers in the House and Senate went back to work
00:05 this week with the GOP seeking to pass legislation cutting off aid completely to Ukraine and
00:11 kick-start an impeachment inquiry on President Joseph Biden.
00:15 Still, the top agenda needing immediate attention and congressional nod is allocating funds
00:20 to keep the government from shutting down operations on October 1.
00:24 BOA's Catherine Gibson has the full report.
00:29 With just 10 working days left until funding for the U.S. government runs out on September
00:35 30th, there is almost no chance the Republican-majority House and Democratic-majority U.S. Senate
00:42 can agree on a full year of funding in time.
00:46 Time is short, and the only way, the only way to avoid a shutdown is through bipartisanship
00:53 in both the House and the Senate.
00:57 House Republicans have their first chance to show their commitment to bipartisanship
01:02 when they return next week.
01:05 Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy faces criticism from conservative members of his
01:10 party for cutting a deal earlier this year to avoid the U.S. hitting its debt ceiling.
01:16 He argues a short-term spending bill keeping the government open will allow Republicans
01:21 more time to negotiate spending levels.
01:24 They're really having some tough negotiations and debates just within their own party.
01:30 So that's really where the sticking point is.
01:33 And I don't know that it's any sign of long-term dysfunction.
01:36 I think it's really just actually a function of a very slim majority in the House.
01:43 U.S. lawmakers will also debate $40 billion in supplemental funding priorities unveiled
01:49 by the Biden administration over the summer recess, including $21 billion in military
01:55 and humanitarian aid for Ukraine.
01:58 Some conservatives are threatening to block that aid.
02:02 I'm certainly worried that Republicans in the House seem to be getting cold feet when
02:07 it comes to supporting Ukraine.
02:09 This is the worst possible time to suggest that there is any division in the United States
02:15 over continuing to support Ukraine, just as they are making progress.
02:19 A major supporter of USAID Ukraine, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, is closely
02:25 watched as he returns to work after a second episode of "Frazing Up" over the summer
02:30 recess.
02:32 McConnell downplayed concerns about his health Tuesday.
02:35 One particular moment of my time back home has received its fair share of attention in
02:41 the press over the past week.
02:44 But I assure you August was a busy and productive month for me.
02:49 The U.S. Senate physician said there is no evidence that a stroke or seizure caused McConnell's
02:54 episodes.
02:56 Most Senate Republicans say they are still confident in his ability to lead.
03:00 I don't know that anyone has a responsibility to lay out all of their medical documents,
03:07 but we do look at the leader and how he's able to manage our caucus.
03:12 It's very clear he's been able to raise the money, get people elected, direct us on important
03:17 policy issues.
03:18 U.S. lawmakers will also debate the massive annual national defense authorization after
03:24 clashing over competing versions of the $886 billion legislation earlier this summer.
03:31 Catherine Gipson, VOA News.
