With a break for Independence Day on the horizon, the Congress has a lot to deal with before lawmakers scatter across the country, including legislative battles over a major highway bill, interest rates for student loans and a GOP effort for a political rebuke of the Attorney General.
That resolution dealing with documents from Operation Fast and Furious is on the schedule no earlier than Wednesday in the House of Representatives; GOP leaders say they will hold off on that vote to find Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress if the Justice Department turns over more materials sought by a House committee.
"The White House is using executive privilege on Fast and Furious to prevent you from knowing the truth," said Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) as he used Twitter to tout a new GOP video on the subject.
In terms of legislation, all signs seem to point to some kind of deal on a bill to prevent a doubling of interest rates on new subsidized student loans, but the details still have to get a final okay from the White House and leaders of both parties.
House-Senate negotiators must also come to an agreement on a major highway bill, which has been extended on a short term basis over 20 times in the last few years.
Wrapped up in those talks is the issue of the Keystone XL oil pipeline, as Republicans want to include language that allows the construction of that pipeline from Canada to the Gulf Coast to go forward.
The House also has two more spending bills for next year on the schedule for this week; one would fund transportation projects, the other is for agriculture and food stamp spending. Both are under veto threats by the White House, which doesn't like how Republicans have decided to dole out money for federal spending next year.
"If the President were presented with H.R. 5972, his senior advisors would recommend that he veto the bill," read a message last week issued by the Office of Management and Budget.
Over on the other side of the Capitol, the Senate will try to wrap up work on an extension of the Flood Insurance program, which comes as soaking rains are hitting the southeast from Tropical Storm Debbie.
The carrot at the end of the stick for lawmakers is a break for July 4th - that should make for an interesting week when combined with the big rulings at the U.S. Supreme Court.
