The outgoing US Congress is due to reconvene on November 9 for a final session that will include lawmakers defeated in the November 3 election. Its members remain empowered to pass legislation and confirm presidential nominees until the newly elected Congress is sworn in on January 3.

Radio Svoboda reports on Friday, November 6, that government funding will be among the most urgent issues. The current stopgap measure expires on December 11, while none of the 12 annual appropriations bills has cleared the full legislative process.

Republicans may seek to advance a budget package through reconciliation and attach other priorities, including an increase in the debt ceiling. The Senate could also consider pending executive and judicial nominations, with hundreds of administration posts and 28 lifetime federal judgeships listed as vacant.

Congress must also address the annual national defense authorization, whose proposed value reaches $1.5 trillion, as well as farm programs and foreign-intelligence surveillance powers. Democratic lawmakers are expected to favor another short-term funding extension, leaving the broader budget debate to the next Congress.