The Week Ahead: Congress Returns To A December 11 Funding Deadline, A Possible Hegseth Impeachment Vote And An Unfinished Mississippi Senate Count

Congress returns to Washington on Monday for the lame duck session, the stretch between Election Day and the swearing in of the next Congress on January 3, when lawmakers still hold power even though voters have already chosen who comes next. Republicans run both chambers until then, with Democrats slated to take control of the House and the Senate in January.

The first test is money. The stopgap spending bill that has kept the federal government open expires December 11. WSB-TV reported that House Speaker Mike Johnson said “our job is nowhere close to being finished yet.” Lawmakers can pass the full set of 12 annual spending bills in one package, known as an omnibus, or approve another short-term extension. If they do neither, parts of the government shut down. Congress must also pass the National Defense Authorization Act, the yearly bill that sets military policy and spending, and WSB-TV reported that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is pushing for more military money as the war with Iran continues.

Hegseth could also be back in the spotlight. In September, Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie introduced a 34-page resolution to impeach him over his handling of the Iran war. Impeachment is the House’s power to formally charge an official with wrongdoing, and a guilty verdict can only come from a Senate trial. ABC News reported that Johnson sent members home early for campaign recess and said the House would act on the resolution “when we come back.” WSB-TV reported that Massie has vowed to force a vote. The Pentagon, through press secretary Kingsley Wilson, has defended Hegseth, and Attorney General Todd Blanche said in September that he is “doing a phenomenal job.”

At the Supreme Court, the justices hear Nielsen v. Watanabe and Hoffmann v. WBI Energy Transmission on Monday and Department of Labor v. Sun Valley Orchards on Tuesday, according to the court’s November argument calendar. The court has no arguments Wednesday because of the Veterans Day holiday.

Mississippi’s Senate race between Democrat Scott Colom and Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith is still being counted. Democracy Docket, whose founder’s law firm is part of the Colom campaign’s legal effort, reported that voters who cast affidavit ballots, Mississippi’s version of a provisional ballot, must provide acceptable ID within five business days of Election Day for those ballots to count. Local certification is November 13 and state certification is December 3. Mississippi has no recount law, though candidates can sue over which ballots should be counted.

Other states are also moving toward the finish line. The Florida Department of State lists November 12 as the recount trigger date, November 16 for county returns and November 17 for state certification. The Texas secretary of state’s office says ballot boards must finish counting provisional and cured ballots by November 16. The D.C. Board of Elections accepts mail ballots received through November 13, and North Carolina is scheduled to certify on November 24. CBS News reported that House Democrats hold their leadership votes November 18 and 19. Voters should confirm any deadline with their state or local election office.

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Dee Dee Henderson

Dee Dee Henderson is a Poli Alert journalist covering national politics, elections and the policies that hit closest to home for Black communities, from voting rights and the economy to the courts. She reports the facts first and isn't afraid to say what they mean, and her commentary pieces are clearly labeled as opinion. Her midterm coverage breaks down deadlines, ballot measures and the races that will decide who holds power in Washington.

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