Congress Faces Dec. 11 Shutdown Deadline as Leadership Races Crowd Lame-Duck Agenda
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Nov 9
Congress Faces Dec. 11 Shutdown Deadline as Leadership Races Crowd Lame-Duck Agenda
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Nov 9
Summary
Dec. 11 federal funding expiry tops Congress’s return to Washington, with lawmakers back for a lame-duck session that must avert a shutdown before Democrats take power in January.
Republicans expect a short-term continuing resolution into February or March, but some Democrats have floated using Trump’s war in Iran as leverage in spending talks, raising the risk of a fiscal standoff.
Leadership fights add pressure this week: John Thune is unopposed for Senate minority leader, while Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan are competing for House minority leader after the GOP’s midterm losses.
Other unfinished business includes the farm bill, a transportation package, a bipartisan tax deal, permitting reform and a January debt-ceiling deadline that Trump is expected to press Republicans to address.
Democrats are preparing to take unified control, with Hakeem Jeffries expected to become speaker, while some newly elected Democratic senators are already signaling uncertainty about backing Chuck Schumer for majority leader.