Republicans Face Deadline on Defense and Funding Bills Before Democrats Take Over
Republicans who control Congress must address two major bills before Democrats take over, according to NPR. One is the National Defense Authorization Act, the annual bill that sets policy for the military. The other is a government funding bill.
Politico reported that lawmakers were set to return to Washington in the week after November 4, 2026, for the lame-duck session. That is the stretch after a November election in an even-numbered year, while the current Congress is still in office. Lawmakers were expected to take up must-pass legislation during that period.
The Hill reported that Republican efforts to advance President Donald Trump's agenda during the lame-duck session have faced setbacks following election losses.
Breaking Defense reported on November 5, 2026, that both the defense policy bill and defense appropriations, the bills that pay for defense programs, were likely delayed.
Lame-duck sessions have a track record of handling these kinds of bills. From 1935 to 2024, covering the 74th through the 118th Congresses, lawmakers enacted 49 regular appropriations acts during lame-duck sessions, according to the Congressional Research Service, a research office that serves Congress. Over the same period, they enacted 26 continuing resolutions, which are short-term bills that keep federal agencies funded while longer-term spending decisions are worked out.
