Congress faces short lame duck after GOP losses
Incoming Democrats arrive for orientation while Republicans battle over leadership and a shrinking legislative agenda.
By Adrian Kovalenko ·
Newly elected lawmakers arrived on Capitol Hill over the weekend to begin the final six weeks of the current congressional session. The arrival coincided with the formal transition of power scheduled for Jan. 3, 2027. House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune remain in their roles but face diminished authority as their parties lose control of both chambers.
The Republican leadership team plans to hold closed-door meetings this week to elect new party leaders. In the House, Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana and Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio are the primary candidates to replace Johnson. In the Senate, Thune is expected to retain his position as the party’s minority leader following Democratic victories in Texas and Kansas.
A key item on the immediate legislative agenda is the impeachment of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., advanced the resolution despite objections from House GOP leadership. The move seeks to hold Hegseth accountable for the Iran war, a conflict many Republicans cite as a primary reason for their election defeats. Trump defended Hegseth on Sunday, stating the secretary “is guilty of two things, basically winning two wars.”
Democrats are preparing to take over the House majority. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries is on track to become the first Black speaker of the House. However, internal debates persist within the party. Sen.-elect Adam Hamilton of Kansas and Sen.-elect Abdul El-Sayed of Michigan have not publicly backed Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer for the majority leader seat. Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, emphasized that the new cohort is focused on policy rather than individual leadership.
The shrinking time frame limits the Republican legislative agenda. Congress must pass a government funding package by mid-December to avoid another shutdown. The annual defense bill remains stalled due to disputes over funding for the Iran war and military aid to Israel. The Senate also aims to launch votes on energy permitting legislation and confirm judicial nominees before January.
President Trump returned to Washington on Monday after a weekend in Florida. He appointed Stephen Miller as the new White House chief of staff. Miller takes over a role that will now directly confront the newly empowered Democratic majority in Congress. The administration and the incoming lawmakers begin their first week of overlap with high stakes for the nation’s remaining budget and personnel decisions.
