WASHINGTON — Now that the clock is ticking on the GOP’s slim majority in Congress, Republicans are scrambling to push through as much of their conservative agenda as possible before Democrats storm to power in January.
Top of the agenda will be preventing the Dec. 11 government shutdown, attempting to pass the so-called “reconciliation 3.0” package to plus up the Pentagon’s budget, and confirming President Trump’s nominees.
But Republican leadership will be grappling with an unruly House majority that has deadlocked on agenda items this year and likely struggles with attendance due to the blow to morale from the midterms.
“[Senate Majority Leader John] Thune, everybody else, it’s time to wake up and smell the coffee,” Trump adviser Jason Miller told “The War Room” podcast Wednesday.
“You have one job. Get everything on President Trump’s agenda through in the limited days we have. Otherwise, your careers are in the crosshairs.”
Republicans were dealt a historic bloodbath in the midterms, with Democrats poised to claim one of their largest House majorities in almost two decades and a massive Senate majority that could see the GOP locked out of power in the upper chamber until the 2030s.
That means Democrats will be able to stall Trump’s picks for the judiciary during his final two years in office and could hamper conservative judicial appointments into the next decade.
“I’m keeping my nose to the grindstone and will continue working through the end of this Congress to confirm President Trump’s highly qualified, constitutionalist judges,” Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) has said about his plans.
The House is set to reconvene next week.
Before lawmakers broke for recess prior to the midterms, Republicans had been teeing up a “reconciliation 3.0” package, which includes an array of outstanding agenda items, including roughly $60 billion for defense spending, and a watered-down version of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act.
The SAVE Act would require proof of citizenship to vote.
Republicans sought to leverage the Senate reconciliation process, which bypasses a 60-vote filibuster from Democrats to wrangle their agenda through. But they had been dogged by differences over what the bill would entail.
When lawmakers return to session, Republicans will also have a reckoning over their leadership, now that House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has announced he won’t seek to become minority leader.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) have all thrown their hat in the ring to become the top Republican honcho in the lower chamber.
