Congress returned Monday after the midterm elections with a deadline that falls before the new Congress takes office. The stopgap law signed in September keeps federal agencies funded through Dec. 11, leaving the current House and Senate to decide whether to finish annual spending bills or pass another temporary extension.
What the deadline covers
The September law provides temporary appropriations for fiscal year 2027. The Office of Management and Budget’s implementation bulletin identifies Dec. 11 as the end of the funding period. If funding lapses, affected agencies would have to follow their shutdown plans.
What Congress can do next
Lawmakers can finish annual appropriations bills, pass another stopgap or combine the two approaches by completing some bills and extending funding for agencies still awaiting a deal. Any legislation would have to clear both chambers and go to the president.
The House calendar shows lawmakers returning Nov. 9. The new Congress ordinarily convenes Jan. 3, after the funding deadline. The Associated Press reported that Democrats won control of both chambers in the midterms, while the outgoing Republican majorities retain control for the rest of the current Congress. The first concrete sign of a funding agreement will be bill text and a scheduled vote in each chamber.