GOP races to pass defense and funding bills before lame duck session ends

Republican leaders in Congress are moving quickly to pass key legislation before the new Democrat-led Congress is sworn in early January. The immediate agenda includes avoiding a government shutdown scheduled for December 12 and finalizing the annual defense policy bill, both of which face significant partisan disagreements on timing and spending levels.

The administration has requested $1.5 trillion for military funding for 2027, a figure Democrats say is too high, while negotiations over government spending focus on whether to lock in current levels for a full year or pass a short-term extension. Some Republican lawmakers are also pushing for a final major budget bill using a process that bypasses the Senate filibuster, a strategy that would require near-unanimous party support.

Beyond these major bills, the GOP aims to advance other priorities such as energy permitting reforms, college sports changes, and judicial confirmations. A key variable remains the potential retirement of a Supreme Court justice, which would prompt Republicans to rush a confirmation process before Democrats gain the power to block nominees for the remainder of the president's term.

Read the full story at Yahoo.