Congress returns with Dec. 11 funding deadline and a debt limit fight looming

Congress returns to Washington on Monday with a short to-do list and a hard deadline. Government funding runs out on Dec. 11 ¹⁴. The House and Senate are in session for just six weeks before the change of power on Jan. 3, 2027 ².

To avoid a shutdown, lawmakers must pass either a continuing resolution or a full year of spending bills ¹. A continuing resolution is a stopgap law that keeps spending at current levels. Both kinds of bill need bipartisan support because of the Senate's 60-vote filibuster threshold ¹.

The politics have shifted. Democrats won at least 255 of the 435 House seats and could end up with as many as 56 Senate seats ¹. CNBC reports that Democrats are unlikely to negotiate a full year of funding before the new Congress is sworn in, because they can use their larger majorities to seek concessions from the White House ¹.

Democrats see leverage

Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut is the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee. She told CBS News in late October that Democrats would have more leverage after the midterms ⁴. She said negotiators would start work after the election ⁴.

From Channel GOPBlanche denies Qatari luxury jet violates ConstitutionRosa DeLauro · 2.8K plays · captioned, with the source named

No one wants a continuing resolution that goes through next year.

Sen. Patty Murray of Washington is expected to chair the Senate Appropriations Committee. She said on X during election night that Congress, not the president, controls federal spending ¹. Her Republican counterpart is leaving. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine chairs the committee and is one of the "four corners" of spending talks. She lost her seat to Democrat Troy Jackson ¹.

The Iran war could complicate everything. Some Democrats want to use their leverage to block money for the war, but that could risk a shutdown that spills into the new Congress ⁴. The annual defense bill is also tangled over the war, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faces an impeachment vote ¹².

The Department of War must be funded to meet the moment

The debt limit comes later

The federal debt hit $40 trillion for the first time in September. The limit written into the GOP's 2025 tax and spending law is $41.1 trillion ¹. The Bipartisan Policy Center, a nonprofit that tracks the issue, says Treasury is likely to hit its maximum borrowing capacity by mid-summer ¹.

A Bank of America estimate from Nov. 6 says the U.S. may no longer be able to meet all its obligations by November 2027 ¹. Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., and other Republicans want Congress to raise the limit before the GOP loses control ¹. Democrats may instead use the limit as a bargaining chip in the next Congress ¹.

Republicans could try to raise the limit in a party-line bill. CNBC reports that building that coalition would be difficult with such narrow margins, and it would require near-total unity ¹. Leaders may also struggle with attendance and discipline after dozens of members lost their seats ¹.

That matters because the next two months decide whether the government stays open at year's end. Dec. 11 is the first date to watch. The Senate also planned a procedural vote Monday evening on a bipartisan energy permitting bill, though its future is uncertain ¹.

The Record

1. Nov 9, 2026Congress returns for a six-week lame-duck session after the midterms ².
2. Dec 11, 2026Current government funding expires ¹⁴.
3. Jan 3, 2027Republican majorities end and the new Congress takes over ².

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<h2>Congress returns with Dec. 11 funding deadline and a debt limit fight looming</h2> <p><em>By The GOP Files Capitol Desk. This article first appeared on <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/congress-returns-with-dec-11-funding-deadline-and-a-debt-limit-fight-looming">The GOP Files</a> on Monday, November 9, 2026.</em></p> <p>Congress returns to Washington on Monday with a short to-do list and a hard deadline. Government funding runs out on Dec. 11 . The House and Senate are in session for just six weeks before the change of power on Jan. 3, 2027 .</p> <p>To avoid a shutdown, lawmakers must pass either a continuing resolution or a full year of spending bills . A continuing resolution is a stopgap law that keeps spending at current levels. Both kinds of bill need bipartisan support because of the Senate&#39;s 60-vote filibuster threshold .</p> <p>The politics have shifted. Democrats won at least 255 of the 435 House seats and could end up with as many as 56 Senate seats . CNBC reports that Democrats are unlikely to negotiate a full year of funding before the new Congress is sworn in, because they can use their larger majorities to seek concessions from the White House .</p> <h2>Democrats see leverage</h2> <p>Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut is the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee. She told CBS News in late October that Democrats would have more leverage after the midterms . She said negotiators would start work after the election .</p> <blockquote><p>No one wants a continuing resolution that goes through next year.</p><p>&mdash; Rosa DeLauro, Rep., top Democrat on House Appropriations Committee, D-Conn.</p></blockquote> <p>Sen. Patty Murray of Washington is expected to chair the Senate Appropriations Committee. She said on X during election night that Congress, not the president, controls federal spending . Her Republican counterpart is leaving. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine chairs the committee and is one of the &quot;four corners&quot; of spending talks. She lost her seat to Democrat Troy Jackson .</p> <p>The Iran war could complicate everything. Some Democrats want to use their leverage to block money for the war, but that could risk a shutdown that spills into the new Congress . The annual defense bill is also tangled over the war, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faces an impeachment vote .</p> <blockquote><p>The Department of War must be funded to meet the moment</p><p>&mdash; Pete Hegseth, Defense Secretary</p></blockquote> <h2>The debt limit comes later</h2> <p>The federal debt hit $40 trillion for the first time in September. The limit written into the GOP&#39;s 2025 tax and spending law is $41.1 trillion . The Bipartisan Policy Center, a nonprofit that tracks the issue, says Treasury is likely to hit its maximum borrowing capacity by mid-summer .</p> <p>A Bank of America estimate from Nov. 6 says the U.S. may no longer be able to meet all its obligations by November 2027 . Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., and other Republicans want Congress to raise the limit before the GOP loses control . Democrats may instead use the limit as a bargaining chip in the next Congress .</p> <p>Republicans could try to raise the limit in a party-line bill. CNBC reports that building that coalition would be difficult with such narrow margins, and it would require near-total unity . Leaders may also struggle with attendance and discipline after dozens of members lost their seats .</p> <p>That matters because the next two months decide whether the government stays open at year&#39;s end. Dec. 11 is the first date to watch. The Senate also planned a procedural vote Monday evening on a bipartisan energy permitting bill, though its future is uncertain .</p> <p><em>Read the original, with every source linked, at <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/congress-returns-with-dec-11-funding-deadline-and-a-debt-limit-fight-looming">thegopfiles.com</a>. Republished under The GOP Files' <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/republish">free republishing terms</a>.</em></p> <img src="https://thegopfiles.com/api/rp/congress-returns-with-dec-11-funding-deadline-and-a-debt-limit-fight-looming.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border:0;width:1px;height:1px">

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Sources

1. CNBC, “Congress returns with government funding, Pete Hegseth and the debt limit on the agenda” (2026-11-09). cnbc.com/2026/11/09/congress-government-funding-debt-limit-e
2. Courthouse News (AP), “Congress returns to a changed Washington after GOP election wipeout” (2026-11-09). courthousenews.com/congress-returns-to-a-changed-washington-
3. PBS NewsHour (AP), “WATCH LIVE: House returns to Washington after blowout election for Democrats” (2026-11-09). pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-live-house-returns-to-washin
4. CBS News, “Congress returns for lame-duck sprint after GOP midterm losses” (2026-11-09). cbsnews.com/news/midterm-elections-congress-returns-lame-duc

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