Democrats are optimistic that they’ll face a much easier September than they once feared on key issues such as the debt ceiling, the border wall, and government spending, in part because of the sudden need to quickly pass emergency funding to deal with the damage left by Hurricane Harvey.

A Democratic leadership aide said the party is hoping September ends with a clean hike in the debt ceiling and some funding for Harvey recovery efforts, along with a continuing spending resolution that keeps the government open in the short term, past the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30.