Congress Is Back For The Lame Duck With A Long To Do List

  Lawmakers are set to return Monday after being away for several weeks to campaign for crucial midterm elections.   

  They face a busy legislative to-do list before the new session of Congress begins in January.   

  With that in mind, Democratic leaders are eager to bring several bills to the floor for a vote during the lame-duck session — the period after the midterms and before the new Congress begins.   

  The busy agenda includes: Funding the government to avoid a shutdown before the end of the calendar year, passing the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, the annual must-pass legislation that sets the policy agenda and authorizes funding for the Department Defense , Senate vote to protect same-sex marriage and possible consideration of other key issues.   

  While the House can pass legislation with a simple majority, Senate Democrats face an uphill battle given their narrow majority.  With a 50-50 partisan split in the Senate, Democrats don’t have the votes to break the 60-vote threshold — and they don’t have enough support within their own party to overturn the filibuster, as many want to do.  As such, top priorities for liberal voters – such as passing legislation protecting access to abortion after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade – are expected to remain out of reach for the party for the foreseeable future.   

  Democrats, who currently control both houses, return to a new reality after Tuesday’s election that they didn’t expect: Key races that will determine the balance of power in the House have not been called, and CNN has yet to predict who they will control. the Parliament.  While Republicans still appear likely to win enough seats to control the chamber, it would likely be by a narrower margin than initially expected.   

  On Saturday, CNN predicted that Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada will win re-election, meaning Democrats will continue to control the Senate once Congress begins its January news session.  But with the runoff for the US Senate seat set for Dec. 6, the final makeup of the chamber won’t be known until at least then.   

  At a news conference Sunday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer warned of a busy session, promising “hard work” and “long hours,” though he declined to elaborate, saying he must first speak with his team on agenda.   

  Congress passed a short-term funding bill in September that is set to expire on December 16, making funding the government the number one priority for Congress when they return from recess.   

  Because the legislation must be voted on, it could attract additional measures that Democrats want to clear during the session.  For example, additional financial support for Ukraine as it continues to defend itself against Russia.  While that funding has bipartisan support, some conservatives — such as Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California, the top House Republican expected to become speaker if his party eventually wins the chamber — balked at the exact contributions and pledged to take a closer look at additional demands from the Biden administration, a dynamic that is dividing Republicans.   

  Democrats also want more funding for the Covid-19 pandemic, but Republicans are unlikely to support that request.  Democrats may also ask for more money for the Justice Department’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on Capitol Hill.   

  Congress must also pass the defense bill.  Consideration of the broader bill could spark debate and push for amendments on a number of issues, including whether to punish Saudi Arabia for its recent decision to cut oil production.   

  Senate Democrats will also continue to confirm President Joe Biden-nominated federal court judges, a key priority for the party.   

  A Senate vote to codify same-sex marriage is also under consideration.  In mid-September, the House held off a vote until after November’s midterm elections as negotiators asked for more time to lock in support — a move that could make it more likely the bill will eventually pass the chamber.   

  The bipartisan group of senators working on the bill said in a statement at the time, “We asked Leader Schumer for additional time and appreciate that he agreed.  We are confident that when our legislation comes to the Senate floor for a vote, we will have the bipartisan support to pass the bill.”  The bill would need at least 10 Republican votes to break a vicious cycle.   

  Schumer has pledged to hold a vote on the bill, but the exact timeline has yet to be determined.  Democrats pushed for the vote after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, sparking fears that the court could target same-sex or interracial marriage in the future.   

  They are likely to vote on bipartisan legislation that would make it harder to overturn certified presidential elections, a response to former President Donald Trump’s efforts to block the 2020 election results, which led to the Capitol siege.  It is backed by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky.  If the bill passes the Senate, it would also have to clear the House, which in September passed its own version of the legislation.   

  Meanwhile, it’s still unclear exactly when the nation will hit the debt limit, and it seems unlikely for now that Congress will act to raise it during the debt session, especially as other must-pass bills compete for the debt limit.  But the political battle lines have already been drawn and maneuvering is underway in Washington on the contentious and high-stakes issue.  Democrats insist it would be irresponsible to trigger a damaging bankruptcy on paying bills that have already piled up.  While Republicans dig in and insist they will only approve a debt limit increase if Democrats agree to cut spending going forward.   

  At his press conference Sunday, Schumer promised to “look into” the issue in the coming weeks, but said he needs to talk to other members of the leadership and see where the House makeup ultimately ends up.   

  “The debt ceiling, of course, is something we have to deal with.  And it’s something we’ll be looking at in the coming weeks,” Schumer said.  “I have to talk to the leadership first.  We don’t know where the House will be.”   

  Congress doesn’t have to raise the nation’s borrowing limit until sometime next year, but there has been some internal debate over whether Democrats should try to raise the borrowing limit before the end of this year, especially if Republicans end up in the control of the Parliament.   

  McCarthy brought the issue to the fore with comments last month that echoed those of many colleagues.   

  “If people want to do a debt ceiling (for longer), like anything else, there comes a point where, OK, we’re going to give you more money, but you have to change your current behavior,” he said in an interview. of Punchbowl News.   

  Minnesota Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar summed up the busy work period that followed in an interview on “CNN This Morning” on Thursday.   

  “In Washington, we have a lot on our plate, including finalizing the defense bill with Ukraine and the steps (Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky) is taking against Vladimir Putin,” he said.  “On our plate is the year-end budget bill to make sure we get it right, As you know the Election Counting Act, an effort I’m leading with (Maine Republican Sen.) Susan Collins and (West Virginia Democratic Sen.) Joe Manchin and others, so January 6th will never happen again.  All this happens as soon as we return.”   

title: “Congress Is Back For The Lame Duck With A Long To Do List " ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-22” author: “Rick Stewart”

  Lawmakers are set to return Monday after being away for several weeks to campaign for crucial midterm elections.   

  They face a busy legislative to-do list before the new session of Congress begins in January.   

  With that in mind, Democratic leaders are eager to bring several bills to the floor for a vote during the lame-duck session — the period after the midterms and before the new Congress begins.   

  The busy agenda includes: Funding the government to avoid a shutdown before the end of the calendar year, passing the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, the annual must-pass legislation that sets the policy agenda and authorizes funding for the Department Defense , Senate vote to protect same-sex marriage and possible consideration of other key issues.   

  While the House can pass legislation with a simple majority, Senate Democrats face an uphill battle given their narrow majority.  With a 50-50 partisan split in the Senate, Democrats don’t have the votes to break the 60-vote threshold — and they don’t have enough support within their own party to overturn the filibuster, as many want to do.  As such, top priorities for liberal voters – such as passing legislation protecting access to abortion after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade – are expected to remain out of reach for the party for the foreseeable future.   

  Democrats, who currently control both houses, return to a new reality after Tuesday’s election that they didn’t expect: Key races that will determine the balance of power in the House have not been called, and CNN has yet to predict who they will control. the Parliament.  While Republicans still appear likely to win enough seats to control the chamber, it would likely be by a narrower margin than initially expected.   

  On Saturday, CNN predicted that Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada will win re-election, meaning Democrats will continue to control the Senate once Congress begins its January news session.  But with the runoff for the US Senate seat set for Dec. 6, the final makeup of the chamber won’t be known until at least then.   

  At a news conference Sunday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer warned of a busy session, promising “hard work” and “long hours,” though he declined to elaborate, saying he must first speak with his team on agenda.   

  Congress passed a short-term funding bill in September that is set to expire on December 16, making funding the government the number one priority for Congress when they return from recess.   

  Because the legislation must be voted on, it could attract additional measures that Democrats want to clear during the session.  For example, additional financial support for Ukraine as it continues to defend itself against Russia.  While that funding has bipartisan support, some conservatives — such as Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California, the top House Republican expected to become speaker if his party eventually wins the chamber — balked at the exact contributions and pledged to take a closer look at additional demands from the Biden administration, a dynamic that is dividing Republicans.   

  Democrats also want more funding for the Covid-19 pandemic, but Republicans are unlikely to support that request.  Democrats may also ask for more money for the Justice Department’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on Capitol Hill.   

  Congress must also pass the defense bill.  Consideration of the broader bill could spark debate and push for amendments on a number of issues, including whether to punish Saudi Arabia for its recent decision to cut oil production.   

  Senate Democrats will also continue to confirm President Joe Biden-nominated federal court judges, a key priority for the party.   

  A Senate vote to codify same-sex marriage is also under consideration.  In mid-September, the House held off a vote until after November’s midterm elections as negotiators asked for more time to lock in support — a move that could make it more likely the bill will eventually pass the chamber.   

  The bipartisan group of senators working on the bill said in a statement at the time, “We asked Leader Schumer for additional time and appreciate that he agreed.  We are confident that when our legislation comes to the Senate floor for a vote, we will have the bipartisan support to pass the bill.”  The bill would need at least 10 Republican votes to break a vicious cycle.   

  Schumer has pledged to hold a vote on the bill, but the exact timeline has yet to be determined.  Democrats pushed for the vote after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, sparking fears that the court could target same-sex or interracial marriage in the future.   

  They are likely to vote on bipartisan legislation that would make it harder to overturn certified presidential elections, a response to former President Donald Trump’s efforts to block the 2020 election results, which led to the Capitol siege.  It is backed by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky.  If the bill passes the Senate, it would also have to clear the House, which in September passed its own version of the legislation.   

  Meanwhile, it’s still unclear exactly when the nation will hit the debt limit, and it seems unlikely for now that Congress will act to raise it during the debt session, especially as other must-pass bills compete for the debt limit.  But the political battle lines have already been drawn and maneuvering is underway in Washington on the contentious and high-stakes issue.  Democrats insist it would be irresponsible to trigger a damaging bankruptcy on paying bills that have already piled up.  While Republicans dig in and insist they will only approve a debt limit increase if Democrats agree to cut spending going forward.   

  At his press conference Sunday, Schumer promised to “look into” the issue in the coming weeks, but said he needs to talk to other members of the leadership and see where the House makeup ultimately ends up.   

  “The debt ceiling, of course, is something we have to deal with.  And it’s something we’ll be looking at in the coming weeks,” Schumer said.  “I have to talk to the leadership first.  We don’t know where the House will be.”   

  Congress doesn’t have to raise the nation’s borrowing limit until sometime next year, but there has been some internal debate over whether Democrats should try to raise the borrowing limit before the end of this year, especially if Republicans end up in the control of the Parliament.   

  McCarthy brought the issue to the fore with comments last month that echoed those of many colleagues.   

  “If people want to do a debt ceiling (for longer), like anything else, there comes a point where, OK, we’re going to give you more money, but you have to change your current behavior,” he said in an interview. of Punchbowl News.   

  Minnesota Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar summed up the busy work period that followed in an interview on “CNN This Morning” on Thursday.   

  “In Washington, we have a lot on our plate, including finalizing the defense bill with Ukraine and the steps (Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky) is taking against Vladimir Putin,” he said.  “On our plate is the year-end budget bill to make sure we get it right, As you know the Election Counting Act, an effort I’m leading with (Maine Republican Sen.) Susan Collins and (West Virginia Democratic Sen.) Joe Manchin and others, so January 6th will never happen again.  All this happens as soon as we return.”