By Ed O’Keefe, THE WASHINGTON POST
If Congress plans to achieve anything significant this year, July will be a good test of whether that can happen.
Significant debates await the House and Senate in the coming weeks over a new budget, a new farm bill, federally-subsidized student loans, several key Obama administration nominees and an overhaul of the nation’s immigration laws, which remains the year’s biggest political fight.
Here’s a quick review of what to expect in July, before lawmakers leave town for a month of town hall meetings, district office hours, official overseas trips and time off with family and friends: