Congress is back from it’s August recess; with less than a score of working days scheduled for the rest of the year. Most budget bills have not been passed. Immigration legislation appears dead. Rescuing Medicare and Social Security will not be addressed. Iraq is in flames. New guidelines for the treatment of teroriest detainees seem out of reach.

But Congress does expect to pass one crucial piece of legislation this week–legislation that would ban the butchering of horses for human consumption.

The vote is expected to be close, with more than 200 lawmakers already signing on in support of the ban, and both sides close to claiming victory.

“We’re very optimistic about what our prospects are going to be,” said Brent Dolen, spokesman for Rep. Edward Whitfield, R-Ky., sponsor of the bill.

“We’re cautiously optimistic we’re going to defeat the legislation,” said meat-industry lobbyist Charles Stenholm, a former Texas congressman who heads the coalition fighting the measure.

Two factories in Texas and one in Illinois slaughter an estimated 90,000 horses a year and sell the meat to Japan, France, Belgium and other nations. The horses are bought at auction, usually for less than $500.

We certainly can take comfort that, in the face of an uncertain and changing world, one thing remains constant–the ability of Congress to avoid any and all critical issues.