What’s Next for Congress After Government Reopens; Judge to Hear Arguments in Comey and James Cases

After more than 40 days, Congress has passed legislation to end the government shutdown. The bill funds the government through Jan. 30. It also includes three full-year appropriations bills to fund the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Department of Agriculture through Sept. 30, 2026. Left only with time until the end of January to fund the government long-term, appropriators will have to come up with legislation soon to fund the agencies that did not get full-year appropriations. Attorneys for former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James will try to disqualify interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Lindsey Halligan on Thursday. The defense attorneys will argue that a U.S. attorney can only serve 120 days on a temporary basis before needing Senate confirmation. If the judge concludes that Halligan’s appointment is invalid, the decision could be a fatal blow to the cases against both Comey and James.