The Clock Is Ticking for Republicans to Move Their Priorities

Senate Republicans are staring down their last chance to move key priorities during the end-of-year lame-duck session after suffering a beating in the midterm elections.

With the hourglass dwindling, Republican leaders are faced with decisions in the final weeks of unified government as they attempt to balance bipartisan year-end priorities with advancing party goals before handing over control to Democrats.

Some Republicans have indicated they want to push through a reconciliation package in the waning days of the session control. Ohio Sen. Bernie Moreno reiterated to The Washington Sun last week his push for a “Last Supper” type package that lumps scores of party priorities in a final bill.

“We have to. I don’t know how much we can get,” Moreno said in an interview. “We can work on Mondays. We can work on Fridays. We can work on weekends.
… My point of view would be like, we get there Monday night and we stay right until Christmas day, and we can get a lot done.”

Atop the must-do list is a government spending agreement and a deal on the National Defense Authorization Act, an annual bill, but neither faces an easy path given the new dynamics in Washington.

“I’m hearing that we might be in session many, many days between the middle of November and the end of the year,” Wyoming Sen. Cynthia Lummis told reporters prior to the election. “What will get accomplished? I’m not yet sure.”

Lawmakers need a funding deal by Dec. 11 to avert a shutdown. Leaders punted talks until after the election, as each side hoped for a more palatable deal, and Democrats denied a potential win to Republican Sen. Susan Collins, the Appropriations Committee chair who was defeated in her reelection bid.

A stopgap spending bill lasting into early next year was the most likely option, one Senate Democratic aide told The Sun on Thursday. Such a move would kick the can down the road for the new Democratic majority, which is already eyeing Republican concessions on Medicaid cuts and the Iran war as part of a larger package.

“It could end up being a big fight,” the aide said, noting the energy within the conference at the moment.

As for the defense funding bill, the two sides remained at loggerheads as Democrats opposed the Trump administration’s proposed $1.5 trillion Pentagon budget over the ongoing war.

“I think it’s a must pass,” said the retiring Lummis, indicating that the back-and-forth may go on for a while on the NDAA. “I have been here when I was in the U.S. House. I was here in session on December 31st at midnight. I’ve done it before, and I’m guessing that’s a possibility again.”

If Congress fails to pass the defense bill, which typically gets significant bipartisan support, it would be the first time in more than 60 years the measure stalled out.

One main question is whether Republicans attempt to raise the debt limit in the next two months, something that could only be done via budget reconciliation. The single-party effort is a time-consuming process, but it could avoid having to concede much in a bipartisan negotiation in the coming months.

However, gathering the votes for that seems to be a tall task. A number of deficit hawks indicated in the months leading up to the midterms that they could only support a debt ceiling hike if substantial spending cuts offset the increased spending.

However, whether there is enough time is a major question. On top of funding and the NDAA, the chamber is also expected to take up permitting reform legislation, something that is a priority of members on both sides of the aisle. Republican leaders are also set to jam the final weeks with judicial nominees, which has been a top priority of Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley. Thune also noted that he wants to pass another tranche of lower-tier nominees before year’s end.

There are other major factors, including the pure ability to pass bills. House Republicans will be down to a single-vote margin after Oklahoma Rep. Kevin Hern is sworn into the Senate in the coming days after winning a special election. That is expected by early next week. Sources indicate they are concerned about absences, especially among those who are leaving office at year’s end.

Similarly, there are also members signaling little want to pass a third reconciliation bill. Thune told The Sun that he did not have the votes to proceed on one before the election and that it was unclear whether they would be unlocked after, but signs are not encouraging.

North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, who is retiring, signaled to The Sun that he has little desire to get on board.

“It would have to be a ‘basket full of puppies’ reconciliation for me to not only not vote for it, but work against it — and I like my chances,” Tillis said.

He also indicated that he is a “no” if a debt ceiling increase is included without substantial spending cuts — a sentiment shared by others in the conference.

“There’s no way he’s gonna have the votes to do a debt ceiling using reconciliation,” Tillis said about Thune. “Unless I see a booking of all the savings from DOGE — which doesn’t exist — or some other major rescissions or recommended spending cuts, I’m not gonna vote for a debt ceiling increase in this Congress.”