Staff Reports
Congress is back in Washington for a short, five-week lame-duck session. The clock is loud and clear: funding runs out, the debt ceiling looms, and Democrats will take more power next year. Republicans can either use this window to finish big fights or watch the next Congress shut the door on the agenda they campaigned for.
The ticking clock: government funding and the debt ceiling
The must-pass bill is government funding — the stopgap expires on December 11. That deadline isn’t a suggestion. Leader John Thune and Senate Republicans need to decide if they will haggle away leverage or hold the line. If Republicans cave to big spending now, they hand Democrats momentum and shrink the room to deal with the debt ceiling next year.
Why judicial nominations and permitting reform matter now
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley has stacked up back-to-back hearings to move as many of President Donald Trump’s nominees as possible. After Democrats take control, confirmations for these picks will slow to a crawl. At the same time, the Senate is set to vote on permitting reform to speed up infrastructure. Both are wins that matter to voters — if Republicans have the guts to take them.
Sunshine Protection Act and the NDAA: low-hanging fruit or show votes?
President Donald Trump is pushing the Sunshine Protection Act to make daylight saving time permanent. It’s a popular-sounding, easy win that could be passed in the lame duck if Republicans act. The National Defense Authorization Act also needs attention; the House passed a version in July, but the Senate missed cloture before the election. These are practical items that should not be used as bargaining chips for unrelated demands.
Pick your priorities — and stop playing politics with the calendar
Sen. Bernie Moreno says the Senate should stay in session and work weekends to get things done. That’s the right attitude. If Republicans want to protect their agenda, they must prioritize funding stability, confirmations, the debt ceiling, permitting reform, and defense. Walk back from that responsibility and voters will notice — and laugh at any politician who claims to stand for fiscal sanity while signing away leverage.
Time is short and the stakes are real. Republicans have a clear, limited runway to lock in wins for President Donald Trump and conservative priorities. They can show they mean it, or they can leave the field to Democrats and blame the calendar later. Voters deserve better than lame excuses from lawmakers who say they’re fighters but behave like clock-watching officeholders.
