GOP Races to Pass Agenda Before Democrats Take Congress
Republicans push conservative priorities through a reconciliation package before Democrats gain control of the House and expand their Senate majority in January.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Legislative Policy
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Republicans are scrambling to advance conservative agenda items through Congress before Democrats take power in January. House Speaker Mike Johnson announced he will not seek to become minority leader.
Why it matters
The GOP holds a slim majority after a historic midterm loss, and Democrats are poised for one of their largest House majorities in nearly two decades plus a substantial Senate majority. Democrats could use that power to stall Trump's judicial picks during his final two years in office.
The reconciliation 3.0 package carries roughly $60 billion for defense and a watered-down SAVE Act requiring proof of citizenship to vote, and the Senate route avoids the 60-vote filibuster threshold. Whether the House can break its year-long deadlock on agenda items before the package moves remains unresolved.
The players
Mike Johnson
Mike Johnson is the Republican Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives who announced he will not seek to become minority leader.
The details
Republicans are using the Senate reconciliation process to advance the reconciliation 3.0 package before the new Congress is seated. The package includes a watered-down version of the SAVE Act, which would require proof of citizenship to vote. The House is set to reconvene next week after recess.
Timeline
Dec. 11: Government shutdown deadline to prevent
Next week: House reconvenes after recess
January: Democrats take power in Congress
Legislative Policy Context
The move relies on the Senate reconciliation process, the budget-based procedure that lets Republicans pass legislation with a simple majority and bypass the 60-vote filibuster. Its use here, in a lame-duck session ahead of a Democratic majority, mirrors how majority parties have used reconciliation to lock in priorities before losing control.
The reconciliation package could change voting requirements through the SAVE Act's proof-of-citizenship provision and direct roughly $60 billion toward defense spending. Its fate depends on whether the House moves before Democrats take control in January.
The takeaway
Lame-duck sessions can reshape policy quickly, so the coming weeks will show how much of the Republican agenda survives the transition of power in Congress.
What happens next
The House reconvenes next week and faces a December 11 government shutdown deadline, with Democrats taking control of Congress in January.
Further reading
For more on how these fights unfold, see Legislative Policy coverage across Congress.
Source note: This article includes information reported by New York Post.
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