Media: Republicans face Senate headwinds after Graham's death

The sudden death of Senator Lindsey Graham and the continued absence of Senator Mitch McConnell are expected to complicate the Republican legislative agenda as Congress returns from its July 4 recess for a compressed four-week summer session focused on defence, national security, and government funding, Reuters reports.

With McConnell sidelined indefinitely and Graham's Senate seat temporarily vacant, Republicans effectively hold a slim 51-seat majority, potentially complicating Senate Majority Leader John Thune's efforts to advance key legislation. Among the priorities are a major defence policy bill, new sanctions targeting Russia, the renewal of a lapsed foreign surveillance program, and the confirmation of President Donald Trump's nominees, including Todd Blanche for US attorney general.

Graham served on the Senate Appropriations Committee, while McConnell remains a member. Their absence could also make it more difficult for the committee to negotiate government funding legislation ahead of the October 1 deadline, when current federal funding expires at the start of fiscal year 2027.

Graham died late Saturday from a heart condition, according to his office. A temporary replacement is expected to be appointed by South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster. McConnell, the 84-year-old Republican from Kentucky who has served in Congress for more than four decades, has been absent since mid-June and also chairs the Senate Rules Committee.

In a statement released Sunday, McConnell said he was hospitalized following a fall and later developed mild pneumonia. He said he has since been transferred to a rehabilitation center and intends to return to the Senate.

"I'll keep working hard to get back on the Senate floor as soon as possible," McConnell said, without providing a timeline for his return.

As chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, Graham had been pushing for a new budget package designed to bypass Democratic opposition and advance Republican priorities, including increased defence spending, additional tax cuts, and voting restrictions backed by President Trump.

Graham and McConnell were also central to Republican efforts to renew a lapsed Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) program, as lawmakers continue to scrutinize Trump's decision to appoint Bill Pulte, who has no intelligence background, as acting director of national intelligence. The future of the legislation is expected to depend in part on the confirmation process for Trump's nominee, Jay Clayton, who is scheduled to appear before senators this week.

Graham's absence from the Senate Judiciary Committee could also affect consideration of Blanche's nomination. Blanche has faced criticism from both Republicans and Democrats over his promotion, while serving as acting attorney general, of a now-defunct $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund that critics argued could have benefited Trump's allies.

Meanwhile, McConnell's absence from the Senate Rules Committee could result in a partisan deadlock on the 17-member panel following President Trump's dismissal of the final three members of the Election Assistance Commission ahead of the November midterm elections. With McConnell absent, the committee would be evenly split between Republicans and Democrats, potentially delaying consideration of new nominations to the independent election oversight body.

Trump and McConnell have frequently clashed since Trump's return to office. McConnell has opposed the president's tariff policies, several Cabinet nominees, efforts to eliminate the Senate filibuster, and has declined, as Rules Committee chairman, to advance Trump's voter identification proposal, the SAVE America Act.

The longest-serving party leader in Senate history, McConnell has faced a series of public health challenges in recent years, including freezing during press appearances in 2023 and an eight-day hospitalization for flu-like symptoms earlier this year.

By Vafa Guliyeva