Washington (CNN) -- Members of Congress returned to Washington on Monday from a five-week summer break. And they already can't wait to go back home. Despite frightening international developments drawing the United States into a major military fight against the terrorist group ISIS and several unresolved policy disputes on things like immigration, members of the House and Senate come back to the Capitol with one thing in mind: Do the bare minimum and get back on the campaign trail. At the top of the must-do list: passing a government funding bill and avoiding another government shutdown. Federal agencies run out of money at the end of September and the House could vote as early as this week on a "CR," or continuing resolution, that keeps current funding levels through mid-December. Congressional Republicans, confident they will regain control of the Senate, want to pass the spending bill quickly and without drama. Privately, some Democrats relish the idea of more brinkmanship on the issue because of the political damage a shutdown inflicted on Republicans last fall.
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At the top of the list, passing a funding bill to avoid another government shutdown
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Congress will also hear from President Obama on his plan to combat ISIS
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Little else is expected to be done with midterm elections less than two months away
Most Republicans oppose the approach but may vote to take it up nonetheless if for no other reason than to shrink the window into which Democrats can propose other measures @placeholder consider political show votes.
@placeholder oppose those bills and bristle at Democrats for clogging the calendar with measures designed to rally the liberal base and boost Democratic candidates, not actually pass laws.