# Congress returns to brutal lame-duck stretch with shutdown deadline, leadership races: ‘Closet is full of s—’

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/congress-returns-to-brutal-lame-duck-stretch-with-shutdown-deadline-leadership-races-closet-is-full-of-s/
- Published: 2026-11-09T10:00:25+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-09T10:27:46+00:00
- Original publisher: Fox News (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/congress-returns-brutal-lame-duck-stretch-shutdown-deadline-leadership-races-closet-full-s
- Topics: Government, Politics, World

## Key points

- Federal funding expires on 11 December without a new deal.
- Republicans face several bills and a January debt ceiling deadline.
- House Republicans Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan are contesting leadership.

## Summary

Congress has returned to Washington for a short lame-duck session after the midterm elections, with Republicans facing a range of legislative deadlines before Democrats take control in January. The immediate risk is a government shutdown if lawmakers do not agree on funding by 11 December, while party leaders also need to settle leadership roles and respond to their election losses.

The agenda includes a possible short-term funding extension, a farm bill, transport infrastructure legislation and a bipartisan tax package. The debt ceiling deadline is expected in January; one Republican predicted lawmakers may extend current funding through February or March. Republican lawmakers differed on how much could pass, while House Republicans Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan are competing to lead their party in the next Congress; Senate Republican John Thune is unopposed so far.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.