House Returns to End Shutdown, Stock Trading Hearing Eyed Next Week
Lawmakers have been summoned back to Washington as the House prepares to vote to end a shutdown that has stretched beyond 50 days, with leaders aiming for a floor vote Wednesday afternoon. At the same time Capitol Hill is planning a hearing on member stock trading next week, an unfolding accountability test with implications for public trust and markets at home and abroad.
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Members of the House of Representatives were instructed to return to Washington this week as Republican leaders rushed to finish work on a government funding package intended to end a shutdown that has lasted more than 50 days. The abrupt reconvening comes after an extended recess, and lawmakers face a compressed schedule to pass legislation before the impasse inflicts deeper damage on federal operations and global confidence in U.S. governance.
House leaders have signaled an aggressive timetable. The House Rules Committee is planning a meeting Tuesday evening around 6 p.m. to 6 30 p.m. to advance the spending measure for a floor vote on Wednesday, according to two people with direct knowledge of the plans. GOP leaders want the House to begin voting on the package sometime after 4 p.m. Wednesday, seeking to end what has become the longest shutdown in United States history.
The return to session and the rush to vote underscore the political and practical pressures now facing Congress. Federal agencies and contractors have been operating under severe constraints, and domestic programs ranging from social services to law enforcement have felt the effects. The uncertainty has also sent ripples through international markets and diplomatic channels, where partners and investors watch Washington for signs of policy stability and institutional reliability.
Beyond the immediate funding fight, Capitol Hill will confront another politically sensitive issue next week. Lawmakers are eyeing a hearing on member stock trading, a probe that national watchdogs and the public have called for as concerns about conflicts of interest have mounted. The hearing is likely to test the House both substantively and symbolically, offering a forum for scrutiny of financial entanglements among elected officials while also giving members an opportunity to demonstrate oversight and reform.
The developments arrive amid further leadership changes. Representative Jodey Arrington, chair of the House Budget Committee, announced his retirement on Tuesday, saying in a video statement that “As much good as we’ve done together, there’s a time and season for everything.” Arrington had played a prominent role in shepherding major budget legislation earlier in the year, and his departure adds an element of uncertainty to Republican planning and committee continuity as the chamber attempts to navigate the end of the shutdown and the ethics inquiry.
Internationally the stakes are clear. Extended U.S. gridlock complicates cooperation on shared priorities, from security partnerships to trade negotiations, and can amplify market volatility that affects economies around the world. A concurrent push to address member stock trading could help mitigate reputational damage if it delivers meaningful transparency and rules that align with ethical norms in other leading democracies.
As Tuesday’s procedural moves unfold, lawmakers will weigh immediate practicalities against longer term expectations about governance and accountability. Fast moving votes and scheduled oversight next week will be judged by voters and global observers alike as tests of whether the House can restore normal functioning and reassure those who rely on stable American institutions.
