Congress Returns With a Full September Agenda

Information provided to members by OGR.

​With the midterm elections approaching, Congress is back in Washington with a busy legislative agenda and a narrowing window to act before lawmakers return to the campaign trail. The House and Senate are both in session for full legislative business for the first time since July, with a range of financial services, technology, energy and other policy issues competing for attention.

Digital assets are among the issues to watch. The Senate is expected to take a key procedural vote on the Clarity Act, while cryptocurrency-related legislation is also moving through the House committee process. The outcome of these efforts could help determine not only the path forward for digital asset policy, but also how lawmakers use their limited remaining floor time before the elections.

Financial services policy is also active at the committee level. The House Financial Services Committee is scheduled to hear from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and consider a package of CFPB reforms. Other committees are working through legislation touching areas ranging from consumer protection and telecommunications to taxation and energy — all against an increasingly political backdrop as lawmakers look toward November.

For the payments industry, the weeks ahead will be worth watching closely. Policy decisions made now — as well as issues left unresolved before the elections — could help shape the agenda when Congress returns for the lame-duck session and beyond.
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IPA members receive OGR’s full Big Picture report each week, providing more detailed analysis of developments on Capitol Hill, what lawmakers are considering and what it could mean for the payments industry.

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