Capitol gridlock blocks Senate summer recess over funding and sanctions agenda

Senate leadership says a five‑week recess remains unlikely as all 100 members must sign off on a fast‑tracked agenda—funding through Dec. 11, a Russia sanctions bill, dozens of nominees (including Todd Blanche), and a bipartisan college athletics bill—while Republicans weigh a stopgap tied to Trump’s election‑security priorities. Intraparty fights over hemp language and a looming cryptocurrency vote, plus uncertainty around Blanche’s confirmation, complicate progress, and House Speaker Mike Johnson asserts he intends to stay in leadership as dynamics unfold.