Article snippet: After an unusually eventful summer recess, Congress is returning to work this week with a long to-do list driven by fiscal year deadlines, natural disasters and presidential directives. Here’s a look at what the House and the Senate will tackle starting on Tuesday: The end of the month brings several critical can’t-miss deadlines. First, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin has urged lawmakers to raise the debt ceiling by Sept. 29 to prevent the government from running out of money to pay its bills. Then, when the new fiscal year begins on Oct. 1, Congress must also have passed a measure to fund most operations of the federal government and avoid a shutdown. It’s likely that the House and Senate will pass a short-term continuing resolution to buy themselves more time to negotiate a longer deal. They’ll also have to contend with sometimes contrarian messaging from the White House. During a campaign event in Phoenix in August, President Donald Trump threatened a government shutdown if lawmakers did not approve funding to build his promised U.S.-Mexico border wall, but congressional Republican leaders have signaled that idea is a non-starter. During a "Fox News Sunday" appearance, Mnuchin said he and Trump believe Congress should raise the debt ceiling and approve an initial tranche of funding for Hurricane Harvey recovery together. "The president and I believe that [the debt ceiling] should be tied to the Harvey funding. Our first priority is to make su... Link to the full article to read more