Congress Returns for a Compressed December Session

Information provided to members by OGR.

Congress is back in Washington for a three-week sprint to close out the year, and while the agenda is packed, lawmakers return without the immediate pressure of a funding deadline. For the second year in a row, the threat of a holiday shutdown has been averted.

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) remains the marquee item expected to reach the President’s desk before year-end. Yet major policy questions still hang over the bill, including a contentious debate over whether Congress should preempt state authority on artificial intelligence. At the same time, appropriators in both chambers are working to translate the recent continuing resolution into longer-term spending progress. Negotiations on additional minibus packages continue, but significant gaps remain on topline spending levels and key policy riders. A larger funding deal is possible — but only under extraordinary circumstances.

Health care will once again command attention. A required vote on Affordable Care Act premium subsidies is scheduled for December 12, but absent a bipartisan agreement, it is widely expected to fail along party lines. The White House’s proposal for a two-year extension with new caps and minimum premiums has not gained traction with congressional Republicans.

Outside the legislative arena, recent events are reshaping the Administration’s priorities. The shooting of National Guard troops in Washington last week has triggered renewed focus on tightening immigration and asylum policies. Meanwhile, an early-December relief plan for farmers affected by ongoing tariff disputes is expected, even as Washington awaits a potential Supreme Court ruling on the Administration’s tariff authority — a decision that could carry significant implications for trade policy.

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