Congress Faces Shutdown Deadline and Leadership Battles in Lame-duck Session
WHO:
CNBC - Sen. Susan Collins lost reelection to Democrat Troy Jackson, ending her five-term Senate career; Collins chaired the Senate Appropriations Committee and was one of the “four corners” of spending talks.
CNBC - Sen. Patty Murray, the presumptive chair of the Appropriations Committee, wrote on X: “The power of the purse belongs to CONGRESS!” and “Taxpayer dollars belong to the American PEOPLE.”
CBS News - House Republicans are choosing new leaders; Speaker Mike Johnson is stepping aside after Republican losses. Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Rep. Jim Jordan are competing for House minority leader.
CBS News - Rep. August Pfluger is challenging Tom Emmer for minority whip. Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain faces Reps. Erin Houchin and Greg Steube.
CBS News - House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is expected to become speaker; Katherine Clark is expected to become majority leader, Pete Aguilar whip, Joe Neguse assistant speaker, and Ted Lieu Democratic Caucus chair.
CBS News - Sen. Ron Johnson is seeking to delay Senate Republican leadership elections. Sens. John Kennedy, Mike Lee, Rick Scott and Dave McCormick expressed support. No senator has announced a challenge to John Thune, who is expected to seek another term as leader.
Fox News - Sen. Bernie Moreno described the legislative backlog: “The closet is full of s--- now.”
Fox News - Several newly elected Democratic senators have not committed to supporting Chuck Schumer as Senate majority leader.
ABC News - Congress faces work on funding legislation, a farm bill, FISA reform and the National Defense Authorization Act.
WHAT:
CNBC - Democrats had won at least 255 of the House’s 435 seats and could emerge with as many as 56 Senate seats.
CNBC - Congress may consider a bill regulating name, image and likeness rules in college sports.
CNBC - Federal debt reached $40 trillion, nearing the $41.1 trillion ceiling established by the 2025 budget reconciliation law.
CNBC - The Bipartisan Policy Center projected that Treasury would likely reach its maximum borrowing capacity by mid-summer; a Bank of America estimate said the U.S. might be unable to meet all obligations by November 2027.
CBS News - Congress returned to Capitol Hill after midterm elections that produced Democratic victories and are expected to shift Washington’s balance of power.
CBS News - Federal funding is scheduled to expire on Dec. 11; Congress must negotiate the 12 annual appropriations bills or extend funding to avert a shutdown.
Fox News - A House Republican predicted another continuing resolution could extend current funding through February or March of next year. The article says the existing CR covers the period from the end of the fiscal year through next month.
Fox News - Other priorities include the farm bill, transportation infrastructure legislation, a bipartisan tax package and the debt ceiling.
CBS News - Congress also faces an end-of-year deadline for the annual defense policy bill. Some Democrats may seek to use spending talks to block funding for the Iran war.
CBS News - Rep. Thomas Massie introduced impeachment articles against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and said he plans to seek a vote unless Hegseth resigns. Hegseth faces Republican criticism over the Iran war; Rep. James Comer said, “No one's happy about Iran.”
CBS News - Republicans are considering a third reconciliation bill for priorities including defense funding. Hegseth called for at least $350 billion in additional Pentagon funding.
Fox News - Republicans are pursuing the SAVE America Act through reconciliation; the House passed a blueprint in July. A permitting-reform deal involving wind projects was reached by the White House and Senate Democrats.
CBS News - The Senate is expected to consider a permitting-reform bill and confirm administration and judicial nominees.
WHERE:
CBS News - Lawmakers returned to Capitol Hill in Washington.
Fox News - The potential shutdown would affect the federal government and its agencies.
WHEN:
CBS News - House and Senate Republicans planned leadership elections for Tuesday; House Democrats’ elections were planned for the following week, and Senate Democrats’ for early December.
CBS News - Two Senate races, Mississippi and Alaska, remained unresolved.
Fox News - The debt ceiling deadline was expected in January.
WHY:
CBS News - Johnson sought a conference discussion about the party’s “stunning defeat” and its 2028 outlook before leadership elections.
CBS News - DeLauro said Democrats could have greater leverage in appropriations negotiations after their midterm gains.
HOW:
CNBC - Appropriations bills and continuing resolutions require bipartisan Senate majorities because of the 60-vote filibuster threshold.
CBS News - Congress could avert a shutdown by passing appropriations bills or approving another short-term funding extension.
Fox News - Republicans are seeking to use budget reconciliation to advance the SAVE America Act without Democratic support.
(UPDATED November 9, 2026 19:07 UTC)
Democrats’ midterm gains are reshaping Congress, with Susan Collins losing reelection after five Senate terms. Lawmakers face a December funding deadline, risking a shutdown without spending bills or an extension. They also confront defense funding, farm legislation, and a growing federal debt burden.
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(UPDATED November 9, 2026 16:02 UTC)
Congress returned to Washington facing a December funding deadline and a possible government shutdown. House Republicans are choosing leaders, with Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan competing for minority leader. Democrats expect Hakeem Jeffries to become speaker, while lawmakers confront defense funding and other priorities.