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Congress returns to looming deadlines on budget, highways

In this Nov. 19, 2015 photo, House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis. calls on a reporter during a news briefing on Capitol Hill in Washington. Lawmakers return to Washington for an end-of-session sprint to avert a government shutdown, finally pass a long-term highway funding bill, and clear away unfinished business like renewing tax breaks for individuals and business. The new two or three weeks will be a big test for new Speaker Paul Ryan, who has to balance the demands of conservatives with the need to get Obama to sign must-do bills. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) In this Nov. 19, 2015 photo, House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis. calls on a reporter during a news briefing on Capitol Hill in Washington. Lawmakers return to Washington for an end-of-session sprint to avert a government shutdown, finally pass a long-term highway funding bill, and clear away unfinished business like renewing tax breaks for individuals and business. The new two or three weeks will be a big test for new Speaker Paul Ryan, who has to balance the demands of conservatives with the need to get Obama to sign must-do bills. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

By Associated Press November 30, 2015 1 min read

WASHINGTON (AP) – Lawmakers are returning to Capitol Hill for a two- to three-week sprint to wrap up work on the budget, highway funding and taxes.

It’s an end-of-the year stretch that will test the standing of Republican leaders like newly-installed House Speaker Paul Ryan with the GOP’s tea-party wing and its anti-establishment presidential candidates.

There are less than two weeks until a deadline to pass a $1.1 trillion catchall spending bill to fund Cabinet agencies across the board and avoid a holiday season government shutdown.

If the process doesn’t go smoothly, a last-minute temporary funding measure would be required to keep the government open when the current stopgap funding measure expires Dec. 11.