Some Democrats in this Congress want to go ahead and deal with it now, before GOP cooperation is required in the new year. But previous increases of the debt limit - as under President Barack Obama and a Republican Congress - became politically poisonous battles. The federal debt limit, which allows the government to borrow money in order to pay for spending required by Congress, will need to be raised sometime next year. That must-pass legislation has cleared the chamber every year for 50 years, and this Congress is behind schedule.ĭrew Angerer/Getty Images Chance to raise debt limit seems to be slipping It's not yet clear how Congress will maneuver through this and, before they do, senators are also set to wrangle a must-pass military appropriations bill: the National Defense Authorization Act. Some Republicans favor this option, figuring they'll have more negotiation power in the House come Jan. Among them is a short-term funding bill to punt the problem slightly down the road, giving lawmakers more time to make a deal. There are a few paths forward to avert an immediate shutdown. Michael McCaul and Mike Turner said on "This Week" on Sunday that the incoming House Republican majority will support Ukraine, downplaying critics inside the GOP like Rep. He later walked back his comments, saying he is supportive of Ukraine. McCarthy has said his conference would not support writing a "blank check" for Ukraine if they captured the majority. MORE: McConnell reelected as Senate leader despite historic challenge from Scott But some Republicans have recently signaled that the party would not back additional funding during the lame-duck without guarantees of what they called transparency and accountability. But there's yet to be an agreement on a top-line figure for that massive package, slowing negotiations.Ī huge sticking point in those discussions has been a request from the Biden administration to provide Ukraine with $38 billion in additional funding - the latest in a series of such aid - to assist the country in its war against Russia.Īll along, funding for Ukraine has had strong bipartisan support. 16.ĭemocrats want to try to pass a year-long funding package composed of 12 major bills rolled into one. One thing lawmakers must do in the coming weeks of the lame-duck session is fund the government. Lawmakers will grapple with must-pass funding Schumer is largely expected to remain atop the party. Senate Democrats are expected to hold their leadership elections later this month, likely after the Dec. Rick Scott of Florida, the outgoing head of Senate Republicans' campaign arm, had 10 supporters back his bid to replace McConnell. While procedural votes still remain, the legislation cleared a key test vote in the Senate just before Thanksgiving, with 12 Republicans joining all Democrats in the chamber to prevent a filibuster. Dems zero-in on 2 outstanding prioritiesĭemocrats are expected to seal a win later this week by finally passing federal legislation that would enshrine into law protections for same-sex and interracial marriages. Among them: funding the government and passing a massive military spending bill.ĭemocrats, meanwhile, will look to maximize their final days unchecked by GOP blockades. There is a laundry list of must-pass agenda items hanging in the balance. Already, GOP members are jockeying for new leadership positions and turning their attention toward how they will mount a response to the Biden agenda.īut partisan preparation aside, the next few weeks are going to require some across the aisle cooperation if Congress is to get anything done in what is known as the lame duck between the election and the end of the current term. 3, Republicans will run the House, ending two years of total Democratic control of the federal government. Lawmakers return to Washington after Thanksgiving break with a long agenda and just weeks until a new Congress begins.Ĭome Jan.
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