Following the historic midterm election sweeping Democrats into majority control of the House and Senate, Congress returns Monday for a five-week lame-duck session, with a protracted to-list to sort out earlier than the top of the 12 months and dozens of lawmakers ending their tenure within the Home, and at the very least 17 senators heading house as effectively.
The lame-duck session kicks off Monday with a two-week legislative interval wrapped with freshman orientation for members-elect who will probably be seated within the one hundred and twentieth Congress on Jan. 3. There are nonetheless a number of races which are too near name, however because it stands Friday, at the very least 109 incoming Home freshmen will probably be seated — the most important pre-convening freshmen class within the decrease chamber in virtually 100 years — for the reason that 73rd Congress convened in 1933.
The US Capitol constructing in Washington, November 4, 2026.
Umit Bektas/Reuters
On the ground, Home Speaker Mike Johnson is already listening to it from his personal convention after GOP management plans to advance only one piece of laws underneath a rule subsequent week — persevering with the frustrations voiced by a few of his members earlier this fall when the speaker dismissed lawmakers for a six-week marketing campaign blitz somewhat than put Republican legislative wins on the ground.
Massie pushes for Hegseth impeachment
Johnson’s designs for the lame-duck session might be rapidly derailed as Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, who misplaced a GOP major months in the past, is anticipated to reintroduce a privileged resolution to impeach Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
Massie has a decision with eight articles of impeachment in opposition to Hegseth, who’s staring down consternation at each ends of Pennsylvania Avenue within the wake of Tuesday’s Democratic victories. President Donald Trump stated Thursday he intends to maintain Hegseth in his job amid assessments from a number of Republicans — including Vice President JD Vance — that the Iran conflict led to the social gathering’s midterm losses.
In a video posted Thursday, Hegseth proclaimed that he won’t again down — doubling down on the Iran conflict and his cultural agenda on the Pentagon whereas drawing a parallel to Trump.
“This isn’t about me, however in fact the opposite aspect, they’re obsessed. A disgruntled, defeated congressman, together with all his Democratic allies has additionally dropped sham articles of impeachment in opposition to yours actually. Identical to they tried in opposition to President Trump twice.”
Massie might transfer as early as Monday, teeing up a showdown midweek on Hegseth impeachment.
Epstein information 2.0
Talking of Massie, the president’s major intraparty detractor is getting ready to having his newest Epstein discharge petition ripen with 218 signatures — this effort squarely aimed toward Legal professional Common Todd Blanche.
Massie already has amassed 216 signatures, together with 4 fellow lame-duck GOP signatures (himself, Reps. Nancy Mace, Ralph Norman and Brian Fitzpatrick) on the petition. A lot to the chagrin of Speaker Johnson, Massie now wants simply two extra Democrats to endorse the petition to pressure flooring consideration of the Epstein Transparency Act II — a invoice that empowers state attorneys common, victims and members of Congress to sue the U.S. Legal professional Common in federal court docket for unlawfully withholding or redacting Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell investigative information.
In response to allegations that Blanche and different division officers intentionally mishandled the discharge of tens of millions of information from the Justice Division’s previous investigations of deceased convicted intercourse offender Epstein, the lawyer common acknowledged “errors” in failing to correctly redact sure names of some victims however testified that the division instantly sought to repair these points.
“Every time we realized that any sufferer’s identify had been improperly non-redacted, we instantly took the doc down and glued it as quickly as we might,” Blanche testified July 15 on the Senate Judiciary Committee. “That does not excuse the errors of which I take full duty, however it does imply that we tried to repair them. We — we complied with the act.”
New GOP management elections
Johnson introduced he will not run for GOP chief within the subsequent Congress, pitting Majority Chief Steve Scalise in opposition to Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan in a race for Home Republican chief on Tuesday. In the meantime, Home Democrats have set their management elections for Nov. 18, when Hakeem Jeffries is anticipated to safe the speaker nomination from the Democratic caucus.
Volunteers applaud as US Home Democratic chief Hakeem Jeffries provides a thumbs up at a Democratic Congressional Marketing campaign Committee midterm election night time cellphone financial institution and watch social gathering at a resort in Washington, November 3, 2026.
Tom Brenner/Getty Photos
Senate Republicans are presently scheduled to carry closed-door election to pick their social gathering leaders on Tuesday morning.
All present members of the Senate GOP management crew are in search of to retain their positions, and no main shake-ups are anticipated right now. Nonetheless, issues might change as folks near Trump query whether or not an overhaul is required. Solely the remaining incumbents and newly elected incoming Republican senators will vote in that secret poll, closed-door management election. Outgoing members won’t.
Democratic management has not but introduced a date for his or her management elections as Chuck Schumer strains up assist for majority chief.
Freshmen orientation
Home new-member orientation kicks off on Sunday with occasions scheduled all through the week, highlighted by a brand new member photograph alternative on the Home steps on Thursday morning.
Senate new-member orientation can be scheduled for the primary half of the week, when members-elect are additionally anticipated to be on the Hill.
Within the Senate, at the very least 17 senators are leaving, bringing in a brand new era of freshmen to take the oath. Much more new members will be a part of the ranks ultimately as incumbent senators Marsha Blackburn and Amy Klobuchar head to their respective state’s governor mansions and appoint their successors.
The Alaska and Mississippi Senate races have but to be projected, however Democratic wins in these states would additional develop the Senate freshmen class.
Legislative to-do checklist
The challenges dealing with the lame-duck Congress are stacking up.
Authorities funding runs out after Dec. 11 and lawmakers are removed from putting a deal to avert a authorities shutdown. The Home and Senate should move the Nationwide Protection Authorization Act, the annual Pentagon coverage invoice, earlier than the top 2026. Disputes about funding for the conflict in Iran might come to a head because the deadline to move the invoice approaches. Reauthorizing Part 702 of Overseas Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and passing the expired Farm Invoice are additionally on lawmakers’ lengthy to-do checklist.
The solar units on the U.S. Capitol on Election Day night on November 3, 2026 in Washington.
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Photos
Senate Republicans may also try to maneuver rapidly to verify Trump’s remaining nominees earlier than shedding management of the chamber in January — difficult Republican Sen. John Thune to schedule adequate flooring time to beat Democrats who could also be unwilling to comply with unanimous consent time agreements throughout the lame-duck session.
Senators may also proceed consideration of allowing reform laws, the bipartisan bundle overhauling federal legal guidelines and laws to streamline infrastructure initiatives. On Monday, the Senate will maintain a procedural vote — which is able to present a sign of whether or not the negotiations that had been gaining steam forward of the midterm recess will maintain, or if Democrats search to punt the difficulty to the subsequent Congress when in majority management.
