The old Congress returns to Washington on Monday to face a busy post-election session. Lawmakers must handle a spending deal, major bills, and an impeachment vote on defense secretary Pete Hegseth. Republicans now have tough decisions to make in their final weeks as Democrats prepare to take control of Congress.
An impeachment vote on the defense secretary, a spending deal and several major bills are in play in a post-election session that will be shaped by last week's electoral earthquake.
Last week, voters elected a historic new Congress, handing Democrats unified control after two years shut out of power.
On Monday, the old Congress returns to Washington with a full list of unfinished business, a large flock of lame-duck members who may or may not show up for key votes, and a transformed political landscape that will shape Republicans' final weeks in the majority.
Hanging in the balance are a spending agreement that must be reached to keep the government funded beyond early December, a bill that would speed the approval of infrastructure projects throughout the country, major defense and agricultural legislation, as well as a slew of nominations that President Trump wants to push through while he still has the chance. Also on the agenda is an effort to impeach Pete Hegseth, the embattled defense secretary, whose leadership of the war with Iran has drawn bipartisan criticism.
Republicans now face tough decisions about what they can accomplish in their final weeks in power after a stinging rebuke from voters. And emboldened Democrats must decide how much to cooperate with the party they just defeated, knowing they are weeks away from controlling both chambers and setting the legislative agenda themselves.
Mr. Trump, for his part, has shown little indication that he intends to moderate his approach in response to the electoral drubbing. Instead, he appears to be doubling down, replacing his chief of staff, Susie Wiles, with Stephen Miller, one of the most hard-line figures in his administration and the architect of an immigration crackdown that alienated many voters.
Live Election Results
2026 Elections
Popular races
Miss. Senate
Colom (D) +0.27
>95% in
Alaska Senate
Peltola (D) +0.3
74% in
Colo. 4th District
Laubacher (D) +0.85
>95% in
Calif. Prop. 40 - Wealth Tax
No +6
77% in
Tenn. 4th District
Broderick (D) +0.14
>95% in
N.C. 5th District
Hubbard (D) +0.03
>95% in
Texas Senate
Talarico (D)
Alaska Gov.
Kreiss-Tomkins (D) +20
74% in
La. 5th District
Two candidates advance
Calif. 23rd District
Obernolte (R) +3
85% in
Miss. Senate
Colom (D) +0.27
>95% in
Alaska Senate
Peltola (D) +0.3
74% in
Colo. 4th District
Laubacher (D) +0.85
>95% in
Calif. Prop. 40 - Wealth Tax
No +6
77% in
Tenn. 4th District
Broderick (D) +0.14
>95% in
N.C. 5th District
Hubbard (D) +0.03
>95% in
Texas Senate
Talarico (D)
Alaska Gov.
Kreiss-Tomkins (D) +20
74% in
La. 5th District
Two candidates advance
Calif. 23rd District
Obernolte (R) +3
85% in
Whether congressional Republicans will continue to unquestioningly follow his lead is an open question after they lost seven Senate seats so far and more than 40 in the House, including in places Mr. Trump won handily in 2024.
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