Congress Is Back, And Republicans Still Have A Few Weeks To Make A Mess

The lame-duck Republican Congress has until December to keep the government open, fund the military, and deal with the political fallout from Trump's deeply unpopular war with Iran.

Nov 10, 2026 - 16:06

Congress Is Back, And Republicans Still Have A Few Weeks To Make A Mess

US-POLITICS-CONGRESS — Source: JIM WATSON / Getty

Congress, aka the lamest of ducks, is back in session, and despite all the moping, complaining, and political soul-searching that surely comes with Democrats coming through and crushing the buildings, Republicans still have a few weeks left in control of the House of Representatives and Senate.

Unfortunately, because America still runs on Dunkin’ and a whole bunch of people who have technically lost their jobs, we still have to depend on these folks to keep the federal government open.

According to NPR, government funding is set to expire Dec. 11, when a temporary spending measure passed about a month before the midterms runs out.

Here’s the rub: Republicans could, in an effort to be completely spiteful and petty, refuse to pass even another short-term funding bill and leave the government staring down another shutdown. They probably won’t, but for those of us who have been paying attention, it wouldn’t exactly be shocking.

Meanwhile, Congress is expected to take up the National Defense Authorization Act, the annual military spending package that has become a political battleground of its own.

This year’s negotiations are particularly complicated because President Donald Trump has dragged the country into a war with Iran that has been both unnecessary and politically disastrous. The conflict, which has done little beyond benefiting Israel’s regional ambitions while putting American lives and resources at risk, has become one of the major liabilities of Trump’s second term.

In fact, Trump himself has acknowledged that the war played a significant role in Democrats’ takeover of Congress.

And then there’s War Secretary Pete Hegseth, who might want to start updating his résumé.

An impeachment effort has already been introduced by Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, with charges including the administration’s unilateral decision to launch military action against Iran without consulting Congress. Democrats could take up that effort when they assume control of the House in January.

Beyond those fights, several major legislative proposals are likely to get pushed aside. NPR reports that measures such as the Protect College Sports Act, which would establish new regulations around college athlete compensation, and a bipartisan energy permitting overhaul are unlikely to advance before the new Congress takes over.

Democrats are riding the waves of the blue tsunami and have little reason to help Republicans manufacture legislative victories before January.

So, for the next few weeks, we’re stuck watching a Republican-controlled Congress attempt to govern after voters effectively told it to pack its bags.

The question isn’t whether Republicans have time to accomplish something meaningful before they leave. It’s whether they can resist the temptation to burn the house down on their way out.