Congress returned to Washington on Monday to begin its final session before new members take office in January, and lawmakers are expected to address several measures related to the January 6 aftermath that are likely to be on the chopping block.
Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer gets into an elevator on November 14, 2022, in Washington, DC. Schumer is expected to remain Senate majority leader after Democrats retain control of the Senate. Drew Angerer poses for a picture.
The legislative package sponsored by Sen. Joe Manchin and Sen. Susan Collins is expected to be voted on by the Senate.
The law that governs how electoral votes are certified in a presidential election is 135 years old.
One-fifth of the members in each chamber of Congress would have to agree to delay the electoral vote count if the Senate bill is passed.
One-third of each body is required to sign off on an objection to the electoral vote count.
The Senate and House versions of the bill would clarify the vice president's role in certifying votes as purely procedural by adding language that states don't have the power to reject or dispute results
The Department of Justice requested $34 million in additional funding to cover future costs of its January 6 investigation, which resulted in charges against nearly 1,000 Capitol rioters.
The January 6 House select committee has less than two months to finish its investigation and issue a final report on the Capitol riots before a Republican-controlled House takes over in January and dismantles the committee.
The election reform legislation has bipartisan support with Sen.Mitch McConnell who is likely to continue presiding over the Republican minority in the upper chamber next year Kevin McCarthy, who is running for the speakership if Republicans win the House, was not among the nine Republicans who voted for the bill. Every Congress looks at an old piece of law the same way. He said in January that it's possible to update it and others. If the Senate approves a different version of the bill, it will have to be sent back to the lower chamber, where it could be watered down or scrapped.
There is a lot of work to be done before the end of the year when Congress comes back to Washington on Monday. Democrats in the House and Senate want to raise the debt limit in order to prevent a Republican-controlled House from using the debt ceiling debate to negotiate other demands. If Congress fails to raise the borrowing limit, the country will face a number of economic consequences, including delays in Social Security payments, a lower credit rating and rising interest rates.
Congress will need to agree on a new funding package before the short-term stopgap bill expires. A defense authorization bill will be included in the package. Democratic lawmakers want to get more aid for Ukraine. The Senate will vote on a bill that would allow same-sex marriage, according to Sen. Chuck Schumer. The legislation was put on hold in July until after the elections because of GOP opposition.
Congress comes back with a long to-do list.
Liz Cheney suggests that Trump may testify to the committee in January.
The Democrats will try to raise the debt ceiling this year.
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