presidential campaign. congress returns from its summer recess. summer -- congress debates the iran nuclear agreement. pope francis addresses a meeting later this month. host: congress returns after a summer break into items are on the agenda, including the iran nuclear deal and avoiding a government shutdown in october. the house rules committee will discuss the debate rules for the resolution of disapproval they want to attach to the iran deal. debate takes place in the senate as well. look for more information on our website at c-span.org. for program this morning in the first 45 minutes with iran and the potential of a government shutdown in the possibility, we want to see if those are your priorities are for congress to tackle between now and the end of the year, or if there are other priorities you like to see

them take on as well. here's why you can let us know. for democrats, call (202) republicans, call (202) 748-8001. for independent --independents, call (202) 748-8002. media, post a social @cspanwj is how you can reach us on twitter. if you like to send us an e-mail, you may do so at journal@c-span.org. the paper this morning highlights two main activities for congress. they are the debate that's going on currently over the nuclear deal over iran's nuclear program , and the profitability -- possibility was shutdown in government when it comes to spending the congress has a on between now and the end of the year. here to explain is nancy ognanovich of bloomberg. she is there congressional

reporter. it morning. -- good morning. let's start with the iran deal. can you tell us where we are? the main thing here is that it seems as if president obama has the votes he is going to need in order to get that deal approved. but it's going to be a very contentious process. with the house only being in basically 10 days this month, it's going to consume a lot of airtime. and also the senate will consume a lot of time on the iran deal. i'm reading that the opponents of the iran deal are likely to max out the debate, especially some of the republican presidential candidates in the senate. what they are all saying is that in all contributes to a tosening outlook for bill extend government funding at the end of the month also. because it consumes a lot of time, and some people want to

use the iran deal to attach language to try to block this agreement. host: there is something being discussed call resolution of disapproval. what is that? guest: best to prevent disagreement from going through. to try and prevent the white house from getting this thing through the house and the senate. that activity will take place in congress. when it comes to the iran deal on the senate side, he talked about the support the president has. does he have enough support as far as preventing a veto or supporting a veto should it come to that? guest: i don't believe that the concern at this point. come sinces that they went out for break, it just seems like he has solidified enough support to get that deal. host: on the side of the shutdown of congress, we talked about how the iran deal could pick up a lot of oxygen. where are we as far as a potential shutdown?

morning, we this are not very far seems. it doesn't seem as though there has been very much progress during this break to resolve issues related to appropriations like the breakdown of defense spending versus nondefense spending. the white house and republicans in congress have a different opinion on that. republicans want to increase some funding for defense. beyond what's allowed by the budget control act. the white house isn't opposed, otherey also want to have programs as well. that hasn't been resolved. the goes to appropriations. when you go beyond that, they haven't resolved what's going to be attached to the money bill, the so-called anomalies that would be attached to it. but also, there are those contentious writers that are still out there like the one we saw before the break, to defund planned parenthood.

republicans in the house and senate want to try and use the cr for that. addition to that, there are some republicans who might want writer -- cr for a rider to block the iran deal. at the lot to deal with between now and september 30 when the government's funding runs out, especially when the house is only going to be in session for about 10 days. what's the expected showdown between republicans and the house and senate, and what leadership wants to see as far as a government shutdown? both leaders on both sides of said they don't want to shut down to happen. all year long, senate majority leader mcconnell has been very clear he doesn't want to government shutdown. he says there will be a government shutdown. he says the government is not going to default on its debt. when the united states gets to the point may be in late

november or we've exhausted are borrowing authority. boehner is basically in the same camp. they have to deal with conservatives in their caucuses who have said that a government shutdown is really good politics for us. our base likes government shutdown. in the end, when it happened two gettingo, wind that reelected and not only that, we got majorities in both houses. so they have to deal with that factor. and try and convince others in the party to come along with them and get the short term build on. year, a stillthe going to have to try to get through a full year appropriations bill to wrap up fiscal 16 appropriations. that's going to be really difficult. and that will be a cliff in december. have a cliff september 30, you have a cliff in november. onbetween you have a cliff

transportation spending. at the end of the year you have a cliff on total appropriations provisionsg tax known as tax extenders. host: that's nancy ognanovich from bloomberg talking about what's going on in the senate. your publication puts out something called the hill watch. what is that. guest: we do this throughout the year, especially after congress has been in recess, and they are coming back for a new work perio d. we give an overview of what the main issues are, and we also have very detailed descriptions of some of the bills that are moving, and whether prospects are. host: you can find out online. talking aboutch the work the congress has to do when they are back for break. thanks for your time. guest: thanks for having me. host: iran may be your first

preventing a government shutdown might be that as well, maybe you have other issues you would like congress to tackle. ,emocrats, call (202) 748-8000 republicans, call (202) 748-8001 , independents, call (202) 748-8002. we start with daniel in bloomington, indiana on the independent line. the morning. caller: good morning, pedro. i would like to say on typically a republican caller onto the show in the morning. record, i noing longer welcome in the republican party in my county. it's only until the next primary. my priorities for congress very -- vary. focus on we need to the issues surrounding enron deal. the senate, both sides republican and democrat, have to be representative entirely when

in negotiations, such as enron deal. -- and iran a deal. isnsportation spending almost like a balanced budget. we have not had a consistent funding for almost 20 years. that has to be done soon. finally, what i'm going to address on the phone with you is national security. the common defense has to be intertwined with our national security, otherwise, we are extraordinarily vulnerable. thanks for taking my call. daniel from indiana starting off. bob for minnesota, democrat line. caller: thanks for taking my call. i think they should avoid a government shutdown. they've been doing this every time they can. it damages the country when they do that.

i think that the money in politics has a lot to do with it. i do believe that someday the voters will ultimately find a way to get big money out of politics. there's one thing people could do to expedite the problem. if you just -- whenever they start airing political ads on tv, all you have to do is hit your mute button, and every time they play a on tv, hit your mute button. the television networks would get the idea pretty soon, if people stop listening to all of their solicitations. thanks. host: michael in south carolina. on the democrat line. good morning. caller: good morning. my complaint with congress is about the immigration situation.

if you're welcoming immigrants, that's fine. anybodycongress or for to come and try and set 11 million people, or 12 million immigrants that they say are going to be legalized or assimilated -- what about the people that are already looking for housing, trying to rent the can't afford houses? as competition for those people to get those places that are available. jobs, everything. every benefit is pushed up on that. you could share that equally. bring in immigrants and make in thist 30% live neighborhood, 30 in that neighborhood, 30% in this occupation without occupation, not just take all the lower occupations, the ones that people are barely making a right now. on -- giveendent

away your thing first. bring the rest of the country up, then start allowing new people to come into your house. don't have your family put down and put out of the way because you are trying to get votes. you are trying to assimilate these people, but you don't live where things are going to begin away. that's a problem. i want congress to consider the people that are here. priority forp congress. the numbers are on your screen, you can respond on twitter as well as gary did. only 10hy is the house days in this month, they've been gone for a month. should lock the men until they do something. richard from south carolina, democrat line. you are next. can you hear me? host: yes, you are on. iller: my main priority is ,ish republicans in congress

and boehner, would stop the nonsense about government shutdowns. every time we turn around, they want to do it. they are getting sicker. they think it's a good idea. they must think it's a good idea to collapse the economy and destroy a nation. stopt wish they would acting like a bunch of little five-year-olds out on the playground if they don't get their own way. host: we are asking folks about the top priority for congress. democrats, call (202) 748-8000, republicans, call (202) 748-8001 , independents, call (202) 748-8002. of ang at the possibility shutdown, usa today gives a little bit of historical context saying the normal congressional budget process involves the house and senate passing 12 separate spending bills to various agencies and programs run the government.

host: gary from troy, montana. good morning. caller: i'd like to tell everybody that iran is going to get a nuclear bomb. and we won't go to war with them because when they have a nuclear bomb, they will have the delivery system to hit the united states. that's all i got to say. host: what do you think congress should do about it? caller: what can they do about it? we don't want to go to nuclear war, do we? how can anybody trust a lies?ent that the bill isn't any good until all the side deals are done on it. host: from gallatin, tennessee.

immigrant line, this is larry. -- independent line. caller: i like to see congress stay in session longer. seems like they control the amount of time they stay in session. -- i look atuldn't it as hoodwink the american that there thinking is so much stuff that got to do, all of a sudden it all just falls on them. tos month they have 10 days handle this legislation. this major legislation. before they go on break again. it amazes me. maybe it would help if congress was paid by the day, they stayed

in session versus a year's salary. host: do address this issue with your legislature? you call them, write them a letter, express your concerns? caller: all the time. i've got a blackburn republican. they are in charge of both the house and the senate. do? do you i don't know. it just is frustrating to me. i'm retired now. when i worked, i worked 40 hours a week. and over time. it wasn't unusual for me to work six days a week. i'd be happy if they worked five days a week. host: that's larry from

tennessee talking about the length that congress is in, and their workload. that may be an issue for you. you for it some mention the iran deal, some mention the government shutdown, some mention immigration. those could be top concerns for you as congress returns. if you want to give us your thoughts, democrats, call (202) 748-8000. republicans, call (202) 748-8001 . independents, call (202) 748-8002. chris from twitter says wednesday speaker boehner says that will not be a government shutdown, you can be assured there will be a government shutdown. new bethlehem, pennsylvania. republican, this is james. james, you are on. why thei'm wondering republicans are standing around, not doing anything on benghazi, where hillary clinton and the hussein could have had people coming from different

basis, help those people out, and maybe save their lives. but they said stand down. go and nobodyet talking about that? court that supreme they said was attacked, but then it turned into a law -- why didn't they take until obama you laws and that obamacare would not have gone into effect? the main things they've done and let go, you think everybody in the supreme court should be impeached, kicked out, and put other people in. they let too much garbage get through in this country and make laws that shouldn't be done. journal," wall street taking a look at the store you have been hearing as far as syrian refugees and other parts of europe, seeking asylum. that's the photo in the picture

of the wall street journal this morning. story go to usa today, a about the obama administration and considerations they might make when it comes to refugees saying. administration is opening the door to the possibility of allowing more syrian refugees into the united states. host: adding the white house did not suggest a time frame for the president musthe establish the annual refugee ceiling before october 1. host: jennifer from boise, arizona, talking about your top priority for congress. caller: it's jennifer from bullhead city. host: my apologies. caller: that's ok.

my tough rarity for congress this year would be not taking the 20% away from people with disabilities. that's not really being talked about. i little upset about it. i only get $1000 a month. i worked hard all my life. my daughter rolled my car, i had to buy a new car. i had to make payments on that. andhe time i get done, barely eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches every day. and they are giving $5 billion iran,ia, $165 billion to and countless others with billions of dollars being spent crap.b -- when their own people -- i'm going to starve. they will literally kill me if they take that 20%. and i'm not the other one. i think that's what they're trying to do. they are trying to kill us.

host: for those people who may not be following this is close to you. 20% of what? caller: social security disability, is all over the news. to getcans are trying this bill passed where social security disability is going to be cut by 20%. itally, they were getting from retirement or unemployment. now they don't want to do that anymore. was,se what happened obamacare was funded with the social security disability money. and that's why there's not enough money in the kitty for us now. month --ty receive a how much do you receive a month? caller: i started at eight something, and now it's $1005.

one of the things i mentioned, i didn't get my back pay. you know how to give you the back pay because you have to wait three years? i never got it. judge said you either take it now or you are going to deny you without it. host: jennifer, what is the nature of your disability? caller: i have herniated discs in my back and my lumbar. i have herniated discs in my neck. i got in a car accident. boiseit's jennifer from talking about the so security disability program. diana from wisconsin, democrat line. caller: i would just like them to do their job. they have many, many bills sent to them that are just piling up. when you talk to some congressman, they will say --

they don't even discuss anything, they don't bring it out on the table. you don't talk about it. they just wait until the end, and make people feel like they are crushed for time it. they are trying to dismantle federal government anything. people should beware of what they are doing. they just want to privatize everything. they are dismantling little by little like the caller you just talked to -- people are noticing all the little things they are doing. one of the things i wish they would stop doing is getting into women's business. religion has no place in politics. people's personal beliefs on what they think for abortions or birth control or whatever has nothing to do with running this country of ours. i wish they would just do their job, take their pay for doing their job. otherwise, get the hell out of

capitol hill. they have no business being there, they are just a bunch of kids that don't even know what they are doing. if they do know what they are doing, they are trying to mess with us. stories about a potential government shutdown include the possibility of bringing in the topic of planned parenthood. this is the "new york times," saying publicans are threatening to refuse a vote for any spending bill that provides federal health-care money to planned parenthood after a series of article video service this summer. -- surfaced this summer.

host: move the planned parenthood money to other women's health clinics that do not provide abortion services. it's not just good policy, it's good politics as well. bill from new york, good morning. what is your top priority for congress? caller: i wanted to call and say i'm for the iran deal. the great deal for us. and it's a great deal for israel. i do think that then yahoo! is in cahoots with obama on the deal. i think he is simply posing these against the deal. and by doing so, he is outside the deal and offers an insurance policy should iran not abide by the deal. but clearly, the deal benefits is real. at the same time, and in yahoo! will be appeasing his right wing conservative people in israel by doing so. i think he is really in on it. i know that sounds crazy. that's the smart thing for them to do. host: what leads you to believe

that? caller: think about it. the iran deal clearly benefits israel. it's a sensible way to try and get iran not to develop a bomb. israelsame time, if agree with the deal, they wouldn't have the license to strike iran should they infringe upon the deal. he's outside the deal, in a position to police the deal. i think that obama recognizes that as well. think about it. host: jim is next up in newberry, south carolina. republican line. caller: good morning, world. the government shutdown is my concern. my concern is that the naming of it very we've never had a government shutdown. if we do, it would be a disaster. what it is is a government cut back. we should have those constantly ongoing. i wish we could look at our it hase, because

meanings. in starts wars. we have not had a government shutdown, it won't have. we need to have a lot of government cutbacks. that's my only comment. host: do you think those cutbacks will take place this time around? caller: i hope so. it should be an ongoing thing to begin with. the government is entirely too big. it's too out of control. host: vivian in tennessee on our democrat line. you are next. caller: good morning. i was calling for three quick points. you're talking about cutting the government down. they say they don't want government in their business. but when disasters come, who do they call? the first responders. men and women need their wives and husbands to come in and help. the second point. they promised jobs. they haven't done anything. they haven't paid us anything. all you hear about is benghazi. iran. what about the citizens in the united states, homeless?

week whotting $203 a have family to support. they have elderly people -- i need -- i knew a lady eating dog food. country's doing everything else for everyone else but they're not think about our people. people, we have the power in the vote, no matter how big rich every put the ads out day, it's up to us to get out and vote. republican, democrat, independent, think about this. get out and vote. thank you. host: "washington times," takes a look at the presidential race. on top of the republican ticket, how it might affect a down chicken republicans. specifically donald trump. this is steven dimon saying he is not only shaking up the gop presidential caucus, he was a dominant theme for republicans back home. the trunk campaign is to report endorsements, and some

pundits are warning that mr. trump of the top of the gop ticket would be deadly to the prospect of some of the down ticket candidates. host: more about that in the "washington times," this morning. will be 2016 politics our discussions about 15 minutes later on at about 8:30. we talk about congress coming back and some of the details we have been talking about with the reporter. that will be at 8:30. for now, your top priority in congress. democrats, call (202) 748-8000. republicans, call (202) 748-8001 . independents, call (202) 748-8002. we will hear next from dan in missouri, marble hill missouri.

public in line. -- republican line. caller: i appreciate your tremendous tos have the american people be able to voice ourselves and come up with new ideas is what it's all about. -- with go back to the the first priorities of the leaders of this country is to protect this country. that's it. number one. we are in a sequester. we did that to ourselves. we're playing games with iran. putin talking about in the next 10 years they will nukes, they are going

to do whatever they do. they are playing the game they play. and yes, the israelis are in it too. it's not all real. this is gamesmanship. we shouldn't get ourselves -- we to the point that can make ourselves unhealthy believing too much of this stuff. it will be straightened out. the war is coming. there will be a reckoning. that's what i wanted to share with you. the most important thing this country has to do is defend itself. thank you for the opportunity. host: that is dan from missouri. this is rick from twitter. he says the top priorities to

rebuild upper structure. congress should help the president restore jobs and stop holding their breath and stomping feet. orpond on twitter, @cspanwj on our facebook page. carl from maryland, you are on. caller: good morning. i am for the government shutdown for one major reason -- it doesn't matter which party is in control. that any time either party has some type of leverage so people can compromise worked together, i'm 100% for it. it just seems lately that if one party doesn't get their way, then everybody just starts crying. i just wish people could work and get the whole nation to move forward. that's it. the idea of aort shutdown because it helps people make decisions like that? could you clarify? caller: in any type of

negotiation, you want some type of leverage to try and get at least something that you want from your side to happen. have any type't of working together or negotiations, that it just becomes a one-party nation. i think that's the frustration that i see in this country. we're just not working together. we're not even speaking to each other. host: did you support the last government shutdown? caller: i did, however, nothing got resolved. things've hoped that would have gone resolved, or things would've gotten negotiated and both sides win. i just don't see that happening often these days. host: massachusetts, this is john in pittsfield, massachusetts. caller: thank you for taking my call. i'd like to ask congress to revisit our energy policy. frome to see us move away coal and natural gas and uranium

to generate electricity, and move us to a new source of energy, thorium. proven to be an safe reactor, with no one in the 1950's. the reason we didn't go with thorium was because we needed bombs, nuclear bombs. with thorium, you can't get a nuclear bomb. revisitcongress should the energy policy area did this rarer,elp us with the getting rid of toxic coal ash, which has thorium minute. ad we would be able to have much cleaner, carbon neutral source of electricity. this goes right to the question about iran having a bomb. have aere asking iran to thorium reactor instead of a

uranium reactor, we wouldn't even be worried about iran having a bomb. it's all about the reactor. the type of reactor. china are about to have a thorium reactor in about five years or so. and this is technology that was developed in the united states. so we're going to be buying reactor from china now? i think the future of electricity is the rim, and i think the united states government's congress should be addressing the research and development and regulations around these new reactors. host: that's john in massachusetts. alton drew from twitter adds this to the conversation saying congress is a representative body, not executive or operational body. why do we extend them to work 12 month the year? harold is next on republican line. caller: i watch your show as

much as i possibly can. congressman one to watch this war, they get a feeling of what's out there in the real world. congress has been labeled a do-nothing congress for years. they haven't accomplished anything. john boehner just sits in his office every day sipping whiskey thinking how to stick it to president obama. we keep voting these new people but it's going to be 10 or 15 years down the road until you clean it out. nothing is getting done. it's been this way for years. go, let's sayou in another world that congress is effective in working in getting things done. what would you want to be at the top of their list to consider? caller: for the people, by the people.

it's not about sticking it to each other, democrats and republicans. host: specifically, what would you like to see them consider? caller: i like them to revamp obamacare, think that would make it better. i like them to take more care of the people in this country. instead of spending billions and world, i'dross the like to see them do something about immigration that stealing all the jobs and raises. things are getting worse and worse. , just on$20 trillion illegal immigration, not on the wars. it's a do-nothing congress, it's been labeled that for years. no one can deny that. it's been labeled that for years. host: josephine is in new jersey, joining us on the phone. we are asking people about their top priority for congress. what do you think? caller: i was really addressing

the woman who called in about social security disability and her indication thinking that it had to do with obama care. it had nothing to do with obama care. this was done by ronald reagan and tip o'neill in the 1980's. those were the old days, when they compromised when they had issues to resolve. they took money from medicare, which was solvent, and put it into social security, which was not solvent. they all knew, they all agreed that in the future, it would make medicare go insolvent. they knew that. they understood it. they kick the can down the road. this is all to do with budgets. the republicans are taking the position, especially the tea party, the they could resolve it instantly, the medicare funding. but what they didn't want to do was what reagan and tip o'neill did -- moving money from allimator column b -- column

two column b. it's like with a mortgage. you don't plan to have that kind of money spent, but you do. you take money from someplace else, and you handle the budget accordingly. it's the same idea. they do not, and they refuse to take money from anywhere else. they would rather spend $1 billion on one airplane then put it in the medicare. so get your facts straight. it all started way back in the 1980's. they knew it was coming. just like so security can be remedied very quickly by them raising the cap, contributions to social security. it's all doable. when they say we are broke, we don't have the money, no, it isn't. it's like a family. you make priorities. is a $1 billion plane your priority? or are the human beings that live in our country need to be

taken care of our priority. it just a matter of where you want put your money. since they believe that war and airplanes are priorities over human beings, that's why we're in our mess. host: josephine from new jersey. twitter says we need to change the tax code. it isn't fair to the middle class which is most of us. jacksonville, florida. john on democrats line. you are next. caller: good morning. screener about iran, but there so many issues. i want to say that commerce is broken. our government is broken. it just appears that this is by design. nothing has been done as far back as i can remember. congress could never agree on anything. we have credit -- president second star wars, look at the bush and administration would

always war started. his continuing under obama. we break these countries and then we send money to ease their problems. if you look at the mainstream media, they talk about the crisis that's going on in syria. yeah, because we started these crisis is. by design. we're going to constantly send .oney overseas it's confusing. but the average american is suffering. but have no job, our veterans come home from these wars and they are not take care of. which is broken. i think the top priority of congress is to actually get these numbers out of congress and say go back to running the country based on the constitution. because you started with the iran situation, or at least want to talk about it, what do you think should happen there? because ofhink that

all the wars we have been involved in, we've lost our position and influence in the middle east. bombwill have to get a because we can't stop them anyways. so be it. i've called the show before and said that america has been involved in iranian politics for the longest, since the 1950's. they've done the same thing in egypt. this is what you get. you can't stop them. well, maybe it might be a deterrent. for other countries in the middle east to start more wars. host: houston, texas. roger is up next. caller: ok. is alle with congress the government waste. in the fraud the goes on.

the irs, the post office, you name it. the state department. they all have waste, there's no accountability. when it's time for the budget, they all want more money. within those three departments, specifically what waste are you talking about? out howthe irs gave many billions of dollars in fraudulent payouts this year? and then when they go to congress for their budget cover the need more money. wasteds is ok, will you $10 billion, obviously, you don't need that money because you are just throwing it away. we will start your budget from there. and who's the guy that spent $10 billion worth of checks out? he's still got his job, he still doing it. what's to stop them from sending $10 billion out next year? blowtate department, they money, they all blow money.

they always to money and lose money. if it was their money, they would keep a closer eye on it. but it's our money. so they just throw it away like his concavity. the just -- like it is cotton candy. that just burns me up. no one has ever lost a job over it. if you are a business and you blew $50 on a deal, you would lose your job. billions, and they just keep letting them do it. nobody says nothing. host: roger from texas. the last call on this topic, ron from eagle river, wisconsin. caller: i would like to see congress finally end the war on marijuana. they are putting people in jail, i've had friends of mine in their own home, they came in and busted them. it's crazy to continue this while some states are going ahead and reducing penalties and

getting rid of the prohibition. it's all prohibition, and it's costing us lives in this country for no reason, other than people in washington have got their heads up their butts. thank you. on that topic. we will focus on campaign 2016 in the next one. the boston globe editor shira center will talk with a list of elements in the campaign, the upcoming debates, recent polling, and advertising. taking a look at that situation. later on, stephen denis will join us. he's going to talk about commerce's agenda, which would talk to little bit about this morning. you can talk to him about specifics. and also what happens now that congress has returned from their summer break. yesterday president was in boston not o