Republicans race to patch together stopgap funding as Congress heads for gridlock
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With Democrats about to take control of both chambers, Republican leaders are scrambling to push through yet another continuing resolution to keep the government open while more substantive budget work remains trapped in partisan deadlock. The looming agenda also includes defense legislation and an impeachment fight tied to the war in Iran.
Republicans returning to Washington this week face a painfully narrow window to act before Democrats take control of the House and Senate in January. With the current funding measure set to expire on Dec. 11, lawmakers are expected to approve yet another short-term continuing resolution to avoid a government shutdown, since the full appropriations process still lacks enough bipartisan support to move forward in any meaningful way.
Legislators also must address the National Defense Authorization Act, which this year remains stalled amid bitter debate over the ongoing conflict in Iran. President Trump has said public opposition to the war helped drive his party's electoral losses, underscoring how deeply the crisis has shaken Republican politics.
In the House, Republican Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky is poised to introduce an impeachment resolution against Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, alleging that Congress was not sufficiently consulted on the military campaign.
Democrats, anticipating their upcoming majority, are unlikely to negotiate on major proposals such as the Protect College Sports Act, which would change rules on athlete compensation, or a bipartisan energy-permitting reform. With slim majorities in both chambers, attendance and cohesion could create yet more problems for the outgoing Congress, which is already struggling to govern effectively.