July 20

This is the last week the House and Senate will be in session at the same time until September 14th. This Thursday, the House is scheduled to enter recess, formally called a district work period, where they won’t be taking votes on the Hill, but rather spending time in the districts they represent.

This week in MORE POWER:

Spring Forward, Forever
No Funny Money
Back to the Budget
Senior Citizens
Parting with the Penny

Spring Forward, Forever

Last week, the House passed H.R. 139, the Sunshine Protection Act, which would make daylight saving time permanent in states that observe it and end the practice of changing clocks twice a year. Next, it heads to the Senate. Supporters argue the clock changes disrupt sleep, contribute to workplace injuries and traffic accidents, and reduce the amount of evening daylight available during the winter. Opponents warn that permanent daylight saving time would produce darker winter mornings, leaving some children, commuters, farmers and construction workers traveling before sunrise. The change would affect daily routines nationwide, although states that do not observe daylight saving time or choose permanent standard time would be permitted to opt out. The House passed the bill 308-117 on July 14, but Senate Majority Leader John Thune has said it is unclear whether the measure has the 60 votes required to advance. If the Senate passes the same bill, it would go to President Donald Trump, who has expressed support for ending the clock changes.

Read More and Take Action

No Funny Money

The House passed H.R. 3535, the Stop Foreign Funds in Elections Act, unanimously last week. It now heads to the Senate, where lawmakers will decide whether to send it to the president or halt its progress. The bill would prohibit foreign nationals from donating money or other things of value to state and local ballot initiatives, referendums and recall elections. Federal law already bars foreign nationals from financing candidate elections, but the Federal Election Commission has concluded that the existing language does not clearly cover ballot measures. Supporters argue foreign interests should not be able to finance campaigns that can change state constitutions, repeal laws or remove elected officials. Implementing this legislation would require regulators and political organizations to identify and prevent prohibited foreign funding without disrupting lawful domestic donations.

Read More and Take Action

Back to the Budget

This week, the House could vote on a budget resolution for fiscal year 2027 that would allow Republicans to begin writing a new $95 billion reconciliation package focused on defense, intelligence, agriculture and election-related grants. Supporters say the plan would strengthen national security, support farmers and help states improve election administration. Opponents argue the proposal could increase the national debt and allow major tax and spending legislation to pass without broad bipartisan support because reconciliation allows legislation affecting federal spending, taxes, or the debt limit to pass the Senate with a simple majority instead of the 60 votes typically needed to overcome a filibuster.

If both the House and Senate approve the resolution, lawmakers could begin drafting the final legislation using the reconciliation process. House leaders hope to approve the resolution before they leave for the August recess this Thursday.

Contact Your Reps

Senior Citizens

The Senate unanimously passed S. 2120, the Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act, last week and now it moves to the House, where lawmakers will decide whether to pass the bill or make changes to it. The bill would renew federal programs providing meals, transportation, caregiver assistance, elder justice protections and other community services for older adults. The bill would also support efforts to address social isolation, expand flexibility for local aging agencies and authorize annual funding increases for the programs. The programs affect an estimated 11 million older adults and caregivers across every congressional district, making the legislation consequential even for families that do not currently receive assistance.

Read More and Take Action

Parting with the Penny

Last week, the House passed H.R. 3074, the Common Cents Act, which would formally end production of the penny and establish federal guidance for handling cash purchases when exact change is unavailable. The legislation would permit cash totals to be rounded to the nearest five cents while leaving electronic, credit and debit transactions unchanged. Supporters argue pennies cost more to manufacture than their face value and create unnecessary expenses for the government, financial institutions and retailers. Critics warn that rounding could disproportionately affect people who rely heavily on cash and question whether businesses would apply the rules consistently. The issue matters because penny production has already stopped through executive action, leaving Congress to determine how businesses and consumers should manage the transition nationwide. Now the Senate decides if the legislation moves forward.

Read More and Take Action