Republicans Race to Pass Key Legislation Before Year-End Deadline
As Democrats prepare to take control, Republicans face tight deadlines on spending, defense, and judicial confirmations.
2 min read
With Democrats preparing to assume control of the House and Senate, the window for ambitious legislation is rapidly closing. Republicans have only five scheduled weeks in session before the end of the year, and their narrow majorities leave little room for mistakes.
Funding and Defense Legislation
The 119th Congress returns to Washington Monday facing a crowded to-do list, from preventing a government shutdown and passing the annual defense bill to confirming President Donald Trump’s nominees. Republicans are also weighing a final party-line spending package that could provide additional money for the military, cut taxes, and reduce federal spending.
The most immediate deadline is government funding. Current funding expires December 11, meaning Congress must pass another temporary funding measure or a full-year spending package to prevent a shutdown.
Negotiations have been stalled for months, with Democrats demanding increases in domestic spending to match proposed increases in defense spending. Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), who is expected to lead the Senate Appropriations Committee when Democrats take control, has already signaled that her party intends to use its leverage over federal spending.
Defense Authorization Act
Congress must also pass the annual National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, which sets policy and authorizes funding for the Pentagon. Lawmakers have passed the defense policy bill every year since 1961, making it one of the most important pieces of must-pass legislation remaining.
The House approved its version in July, authorizing more than $1 trillion in defense spending, but Senate Democrats blocked their chamber’s version amid objections to Trump’s handling of the Iran war. The conflict has created another potential obstacle: The Pentagon says it needs additional funding to replenish precision weapons and other munitions expended during the fighting.
Reconciliation and Bipartisan Reform
Republicans could attempt to address those needs through a budget reconciliation bill, which would allow them to pass certain budget-related legislation with a simple majority in the Senate rather than overcoming the usual 60-vote filibuster threshold.
But reconciliation is a complicated process requiring both chambers to approve a budget resolution before drafting and passing the legislation itself. Senate Budget Committee Chairman Ron Johnson (R-WI) said last week that the White House had expressed interest in another package, but lawmakers had not yet settled on what it would contain.
Another potential accomplishment is bipartisan permitting reform, a longtime priority for Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and lawmakers seeking to make it easier to build energy infrastructure and other major projects. The Senate is scheduled to hold an initial procedural vote on the proposal Monday.
Pressure to Act
Members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus are demanding that Republican leaders use the remaining weeks to push through as much of the party’s agenda as possible.
Source: Daily Wire
