Capitol agenda: It's down to Trump, Schumer and Thune
Thune is shuttling between Schumer and Trump as he tries to land a deal on nominees.
Calen Razor
08/01/2025, 8:00am ET
The Senate’s summer exit is getting complicated as lawmakers brace for some weekend work.
Tensions are running high over government funding negotiations. And Senate leaders have yet to seal a deal to advance dozens of President Donald Trump’s nominees as Majority Leader John Thune shuttles between the White House and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
Here’s the latest on where things stand.
Funding meltdown — The prospects for two major appropriations bills are dimming after a flurry of drama.
The odds of including the Commerce-Justice-Science bill in an appropriations “minibus” withered late Thursday night. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), who has used the bill as a platform to fight the Trump administration’s plans for keeping FBI headquarters in Washington, objected to including the CJS legislation in the broader funding package. Van Hollen wants the agency’s campus to move to his home state of Maryland, per a prior agreement.
Van Hollen’s hardball tactics rattled Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), the lead appropriator on the bill, who teared up as he spoke about it on the floor.
https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/08/01/congress/trump-schumer-thune-senate-00488164