Senate adjourns until after the midterm elections

The U.S. Senate adjourned on Wednesday (September 30) until after November’s midterm elections, sending lawmakers out to campaign for the increasingly competitive battle for control of the chamber during the last two years of President Donald Trump’s term, as USA Today reports.

The Democrats left Washington cheered, amid falling approval for Trump and the unpopular war in Iran, but they face harder math in the Senate than in the House of Representatives.

Democratic leader Chuck Schumer predicted “close elections” and said Democrats had come close to the “threshold of victory”: “We don’t want to be overconfident… but people are getting tired of Trump.”

On the final day, Republicans tried three message bills — on energy costs from data centers, voter ID and banning stock trading by lawmakers — blocked mostly by Democrats as “show votes without substance”. Majority Leader John Thune said Republicans had created a contrast for voters.

Republican Senator Jim Justice acknowledged concern over costs: “If you can’t pay your bills, you have a real problem with us.” While retiring Senator Thom Tillis expressed scepticism that anything could change an outcome already “baked in” in November.

The Senate returns to session on Monday, November 9.