Congress faces a Dec. 11 deadline to fund the federal government as lawmakers return to Washington following the 2026 midterm elections. While a stopgap measure is currently keeping agencies operational, legislators in both parties are navigating uncertainty over the election's outcome and how President Trump will respond to potential GOP losses. Both Democratic and Republican members have stated that while they hope to avoid a government shutdown, the final weeks of the year may involve difficult negotiations over long-term spending bills.
Lawmakers are scheduled to return to the Capitol on Nov. 9, leaving a two-week window for legislative work before the Thanksgiving recess. In addition to the December funding deadline, the agenda includes the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a farm bill, and disaster relief funding for hurricanes that occurred earlier in the fall. The House has passed three of the 12 required appropriations bills, covering military construction and Veterans Affairs, the State Department, and agriculture, but Senate appropriators remain deadlocked over top-line spending levels.
Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA) stated that avoiding a shutdown depends on Senate Democrats, noting his priority is passing conservative and fiscally responsible bills. Conversely, Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) expressed concern that Republican maneuvers following the election could make the lives of working families more difficult. Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) and House Appropriations Committee ranking member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) both indicated a preference for finishing all 12 full-year funding bills rather than passing another continuing resolution, though Cuellar acknowledged that another short-term measure might be necessary to prevent a shutdown.
The outcome of these negotiations affects federal workers and services. If Congress fails to reach an agreement by the Dec. 11 deadline, a government shutdown would occur. Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) and other leaders face pressure to reconcile the 12 separate appropriations bills that fund the daily operations of the U.S. government.
What happens next depends on the legislative calendar and leadership decisions. Following the Nov. 9 return, House and Senate negotiators must reconcile differences in their respective spending bills. If a full-year agreement is not reached by early December, lawmakers will likely vote on another stopgap measure to extend the deadline. Additionally, the Senate must address the annual defense policy bill and the farm bill, which faces a Dec. 31 expiration for several key programs. Precise dates for floor votes on these measures have not yet been announced.