OPINION

Congressional Week Ahead: Budget Agreement

The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Townhall.com.
The House and Senate will both be in session this week for the first time in June with a focus on trying to make progress in the negotiations toward a budget agreement.

As they convene Monday, lawmakers evidently won’t have to contend with the spectacle of Representative Anthony D. Weiner, Democrat of New York, returning for votes after disclosures of lewd photographs he shared over the Internet. Though he is resisting calls to resign, Mr. Weiner has said he intends to seek treatment and take a leave of absence from the House.

Mr. Weiner will no doubt be a steady topic of conversation this week, but members of the House and Senate also have work to do as they move toward the Fourth of July and an August deadline for raising the federal debt limit.

Those participating in the bipartisan negotiations being steered by Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. are scheduled to meet at least three times this week in hopes of spurring a breakthrough in the talks.