Kansas First District Congressman Dr. Roger Marshall reminds us that the end of the federal fiscal year is the end of September.
"That's why we've got to get something done now," Marshall said Monday. "This is our chance for this COVID relief bill to help hardworking Kansans out. Maybe a little boost in the Paycheck Protection Program, some help with unemployment insurance, liability protection. We've got to get that somehow piggybacked on to some of these, keeping the government open, funding everything from our military to USDA."
This is going to be another continuing resolution, though. It will not be a new budget. Frankly, most of the attention will be focused on the other side of Capitol Hill now after the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Friday.
"I just don't think that the Democrats can point to any major legislation they've accomplished since they got the gavel," Marshall said. "I don't expect them to do anything else. Just like the impeachment hearing. When the impeachment was going on in the Senate, all the attention from the Democrats was making sure that was the news, front and center. As we go through this confirmation process for whichever Supreme Court justice President Trump nominates, that's where their focus will be. Their focus will be getting in front of a TV camera."
Despite the fact that he won't get to vote on any nominee President Trump might put forth before the election, and the winner of the U.S. Senate race he is in would get a say if it happened after inauguration, Marshall still believes that there should be an up or down vote as soon as possible.