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Congress coming back, must act to avoid shutdown

This photo taken July 23, 2013, show the U.S. Capitol in Washington. Congress returns to work this week with a relatively short and simple agenda, vote to keep the government operating in the short term, then return home to campaign. National security threats from Islamic State militants and Russian aggression in Ukraine loom large, but September's session may be too short for lawmakers to do anything but talk about them. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) This photo taken July 23, 2013, show the U.S. Capitol in Washington. Congress returns to work this week with a relatively short and simple agenda, vote to keep the government operating in the short term, then return home to campaign. National security threats from Islamic State militants and Russian aggression in Ukraine loom large, but September's session may be too short for lawmakers to do anything but talk about them. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

By Associated Press September 7, 2014 5 min read

WASHINGTON (AP) – Lawmakers are streaming back to Capitol Hill after their summer vacation for an abbreviated September session in which feuding Democratic and Republican leaders promise action to prevent a government shutdown while holding votes aimed at defining the parties for the fall campaign.

Republicans control the House and want to pad their 17-vote majority, so they intend to follow this simple rule: first, do no harm.

Last fall, they sparked a partial government shutdown over the implementation of President Barack Obama’s health law. Now, Republicans are pressing for drama-free passage of a temporary spending bill to prevent a shutdown at month’s end and fund government agencies into mid-December.

The Senate is sure to go along if the measure is kept free of objectionable add-ons.

House Republicans also plan votes aimed at drawing attention to legislation they say would boost jobs and energy production.