Congress in Recess: Chambers Meet Only Pro Forma as Kids' Online Safety Bill Awaits Uncertain Senate Fate
Both the House and Senate remained in their post-July 4 recess over the past 24-48 hours, holding only brief pro forma sessions with no votes. The most consequential recent action was the House's passage of a sweeping children's online safety bill, which now faces long odds in the Senate.
Congress conducted little formal business over the past two days. Both chambers are in a district and state work period following the Independence Day holiday, meeting only in brief pro forma sessions that conduct no legislative business. The House met at 10:30 a.m. and adjourned two minutes later. No hearings were held and no joint committee meetings took place. The Senate similarly gaveled in and out within seconds.
There were no roll-call votes in either chamber. Congress.gov listed no floor activity for July 7 in either the House or Senate. The House did formally receive committee reports during the pro forma session, including one on H.J. Res. 1, proposing an amendment to the Constitution to require that the Supreme Court be composed of nine justices. A handful of new bills were also introduced for the record.
The lull is scheduled. According to the House Press Gallery, the next votes in the House are expected Monday, July 13. The Senate returns to legislative work the same week. Its executive calendar shows senators are set to resume consideration of the nomination of Matthew A. Schwartz to be a judge on the Second Circuit, and to vote on the confirmation of Arthur Roberts Jones to be a district judge for the Southern District of Texas.
The most significant recent development remains the House's action on children's online safety. On June 29, the House passed the Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act, H.R. 7757, in a 267-117 vote; the bill now heads to the Senate, where it reportedly faces long odds. The measure combines provisions from more than a dozen bills. The bill includes provisions on age verification, AI chatbots, data protections and raising awareness about drug sales on social media. Supporters, including Energy and Commerce Chairman Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., call it overdue. Critics warn of consequences for privacy and speech. According to NBC News, digital rights groups such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation argue that systems relying on government-issued identification or biometric age estimation could chill anonymous speech by discouraging users from sharing sensitive information online. The bill's Senate path is unclear, in part because some members have criticized the House package for omitting the duty-of-care provision in the Senate's version, arguing it would weaken protections for children.
Several major measures were left unfinished before the recess. As NewsNation reported, House Republican leaders called off votes in late June, leaving items in limbo. Several major bills are on hold, including President Trump's elections overhaul bill, the SAVE America Act, a bipartisan housing bill, a defense spending bill and a major funding package; Trump has refused to sign the housing bill until the SAVE Act passes first. The farm bill also remains pending amid disagreements over its contents. Those disputes are likely to resume when lawmakers return the week of July 13.
Highlights: - The House met in a pro forma session with - no yea-and-nay votes, no recorded votes, and no quorum calls; the House met at 10:30 a.m. and adjourned at 10:32 a.m. - Before the break, the House passed the Kids Internet and Digital Safety (KIDS) Act (H.R. 7757) by a - 267-117 vote, marking the first time a version of the landmark Kids Online Safety Act made it out of the lower chamber. - The House also cleared the TRIA Program Reauthorization Act (H.R. 7128) 373-15 and, by a - 420-0 vote with 1 voting present, H. Res. 1399, sponsored by Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., to require the House Ethics Committee to gather and release records on sexual harassment settlements involving House members.