Tax reform and a temporary spending bill are on the agenda as Congress returns to Capitol Hill. Meanwhile, the Russia investigation against President Donald Trump took another turn in recent days.
Congress faces a December 9th spending deadline to avoid a government shutdown. But first and foremost for the Trump administration is getting some form of legislation passed before the end of the year.
“President Trump is scheduled to meet with the big four congressional leaders Tuesday, he also will be at the Senate GOP policy lunch Tuesday, working to try to get some movement on tax reform,” says ABC News correspondent Janai Norman.
“That is the number one item on their agenda at this point,” she says. “Congress still has a pretty big to-do list by the end of the year, but tax reform is number one front and center right now.
Deadlines also loom for a hurricane relief package and child health care.
In the meantime, Congress also is holding hearings on the Russia probe, and just days ago we learned attorneys for former national security adviser Michael Flynn have stopped sharing information about the investigation with the president's legal team.
“Those investigations are moving on as well, but as far as this latest development, not sure if that has any impact on those congressional investigations,” says Norman.
There's speculation Flynn may be cooperating with special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation or is negotiating a deal for himself.
“This is only speculation that Flynn could be cooperating, but it could be an ethical obligation of one lawyer to let the other team know we can no longer share information.”