washington republicans congress plan light legislative agenda return long summer break tuesday strategy say design part bog hillary clinton become president uncommon congress take slow election year legislative delay could work republicans favor nominee donald trump take white house november strategy also pay dividends clinton take office jan. 20. force deal old baggage rather focus agenda infrastructure investments immigration wall street reform hillary win force waste time resources momentum early good political capital cleanup duty say senior aide one republican senator go expect autumn u.s. supreme court seat vacant since feb. 13 remain unfilled sometime next year sweep pacific free-trade deal negotiate president barack obama hold doom many conservative republicans get way government agencies run stop-gap fund oct. sometime february march mean next president would negotiate longer-term deal face prospect government shutdowns early days new administration senior congressional aid tell reuters agenda come months include bill keep government fund combat spread zika virus renew laws guard nation water resources items would help majority republicans score political point key constituencies november elections even though chance become law include scold obama administration 400 million payment iran january tehran release american prisoners anti-abortion measure proposals repeal obama landmark healthcare law ron bonjean republican strategist former aide republican leaders congress acknowledge public opinion poll trend clinton direction clinton win bonjean add whole mindset among republican leaders congress would shift take care important business help republicans unload difficult tense issue clinton administration deal with clinton maintain lead poll since republican democratic conventions survey show lead narrow reuters/ipsos poll release sept. show trump effectively pull even democratic nominee yet one veteran republican congressional aide say republicans congress brace white house stay democratic hand next four years even party manage maintain control congress trump trouble appeal important group voters hispanics african-americans asians self-inflicted wound make pretty clear highly unlikely get say leave supreme court nomination high-profile disagreements 2017 bog new administration question aide say election years mean slow autumn congress always case 2012 example lawmakers dramatically labor way new year eve address fiscal cliff expire tax spend laws delay pass legislation purely republican shoulder though trump blast free-trade deal lead democrats include clinton also criticize obama trans-pacific partnership pact would create free-trade zone range japan chile stephen hess senior fellow brook institution downplay challenge clinton might face early know deal congress say refer clinton years senator represent new york besides add trump lose republicans busy deal problems think seriously get trouble in republicans congress lull could impede clinton presidency