Congress returns with Dec. 11 funding, the debt limit and a Hegseth impeachment push
The lame-duck window is about five weeks: funding expires Dec. 11, the NDAA is unfinished, and Rep. Thomas Massie is expected to reintroduce a Hegseth impeachment resolution as early as Monday.
By James Mitchell ·
Why it matters: The Dec. 11 funding deadline raises shutdown risk, while a potential 2027 debt-limit fight could unsettle markets as Democrats prepare to take control of Congress.
For information only, not investment advice.
Congress returns Monday for a lame-duck session that must quickly extend government funding expiring Dec. 11 to avert a potential shutdown, while also facing the National Defense Authorization Act, debt-limit debate and a possible impeachment vote involving Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.1 The session spans about five weeks after Democrats swept majority control of the House and Senate.2
Republicans still control the lame-duck calendar, but Democrats won a commanding House majority with at least 255 seats and could reach as many as 56 Senate seats, leaving little incentive to cut deals before the new Congress is sworn in.1 Continuing resolutions and appropriations still need bipartisan majorities because of the Senate's 60-vote filibuster, and Democrats are unlikely to lock in a full year of funding early.1
The federal debt hit $40 trillion in September against a $41.1 trillion limit in the GOP's 2025 reconciliation law, with some Republicans urging a raise before they lose control — while Democrats may prefer to use the limit as leverage next year.1 A separate CNBC analysis called the debt limit the biggest political risk to financial markets in the coming year and said markets will hate the process even if it ends in compromise.3
Hegseth faces a possible vote on articles of impeachment upon Congress's return, CNBC reported, a wrinkle that could complicate the NDAA, which the House passed in July authorizing more than $1 trillion in defense spending before Senate Democrats blocked their version over Iran-war concerns.1 Rep. Thomas Massie is expected to reintroduce a privileged resolution with eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth and could move as early as Monday.2
Sources
- Congress returns with government funding, Pete Hegseth and the debt limit on the agenda, CNBC
- Congress returns for crowded lame-duck session as Hegseth impeachment, government funding deadline loom, ABC News
- Analysis: The Democrats have one chance to extract concessions from Trump. Markets will hate it, CNBC
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