Big Ticket Items in Doubt as Partisan Clashes Dominate Congress

Lawmakers’ legislative ambitions are clashing with a powerful force: the calendar.

Republicans have focused attention in recent weeks on voting legislation favored by President Donald Trump and a budget bill to fund immigration enforcement—both contentious and challenging partisan efforts jeopardizing a slew of must-pass and want-to-pass legislation and leaving senators jockeying for limited floor time in the seven months before the midterm elections.

“Nothing’s going to be smooth around here from now until the midterms,” Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) said.

Senators looking to make progress on their priorities face challenges with timing, partisanship, and chamber divisions. The array of issues ...