WASHINGTON — The U.S. Congress returns to Washington Tuesday to take a stab at four weeks of legislating before lawmakers hustle home for the final campaign stretch before the November election. Expect modest results. At first blush, the only must-pass task is the budget, as a Sept. 30 deadline to fund the continued operations of the federal government looms over Capitol Hill. But a handful of other issues could play out in the coming weeks, ranging from funding programs to combat the Zika virus to judicial appointments. Given the Texas delegation’s size and power, there will almost always be a Texan or two at the center of the action. Keeping the lights on Congress must settle on a budget to keep the government running at least through the election. A shutdown so close to November is unfathomable on Capitol Hill, but it’s also unlikely Congress and the president will settle on a long-term funding plan for the next full fiscal year. The betting money holds that a short-term funding

Source: Texas Public Radio