Republicans' final weeks in power may be consumed by fights they don't want
Rodell Mollineau, a Democratic strategist and former communications director for the late Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, said Democrats may postpone some legislative fights until January, when they'll have more negotiating leverage.
Key points
- Between the lines: Dozens of House lawmakers and at least 17 senators are leaving Congress, raising questions about attendance, cooperation and how much work departing members actually want to do — consider it a professional case of congressional senioritis.
- Republicans are returning to work this week, facing the prospect of an especially lame lame-duck session after a bruising midterm election that set off a countdown clock on their control of Congress.
- Lawmakers need to pass the annual National Defense Authorization Act, potentially setting up a fight over the Iran war as some Republicans grow more willing to criticize the conflict.
Even so, he warned: "I don't think they're going to be able to get the enthusiasm out of all these retiring members." What we're watching: Whether Congress manages to finish its major legislative priorities, or whether lawmakers leave those fights to the new Democratic majorities.
Additional details
- Permitting reform would be nice, Elshami said, but it faces "real hurdles." And as for Republicans' hopes of passing another reconciliation package?
- Senate Republicans are also racing to confirm more Trump administration officials and judicial nominees before Democrats take over.
- Thomas Massie — who GOP voters kicked to the curb in favor of a more Trump-aligned Republican — is pushing another Epstein-related vote, an additional headache for the administration and GOP leaders.
- Democrats "feel emboldened in both of those discussions" and "have both the momentum and the leverage," he said, making them unlikely to support provisions advancing Trump's priorities.
- This is still your job." Outgoing lawmakers eyeing lobbying jobs or future campaigns also have reason to show up: "members have very long, very long memories," he said.
How this summary was made: extractive summary — built from the sources' own reporting. It is drawn only from the reporting of the sources listed below — read the originals for full detail. How we summarize →
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