Congress returns from five-week recess with just 57 days until election . A short-term continuing resolution to fund federal agencies is expected to pass . Comment: What wo n't get done -- a deal to avoid the 'fiscal cliff ' Congress faces a `` fiscal cliff '' at the end of this year -- the combination of the deep automatic cuts to federal agencies scheduled to go into effect in January that were part of last summer 's debt deal and the expiration of the `` Bush era '' tax cuts at the end of December . It 's possible GOP and Democratic leaders could work out a deal on a farm bill .
Congress returns from five-week recess with just 57 days until election . A short-term continuing resolution to fund federal agencies is expected to pass . Comment: It 's possible GOP and Democratic leaders could work out a deal on a farm bill .