WASHINGTON, D.C. — With Democrats set to take control of Congress in January, Republicans have just weeks left to take advantage of their majorities in the House and Senate.
“We are going to finish this legislative session strong,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said this week.
Before Democrats take control, Republicans in the House and Senate have a long to-do list and some important deadlines to meet.
“We need to get, obviously, appropriations done,” said Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-Pa.
Congress will need to fund the government before the Dec. 11 deadline.
House Agriculture Committee Chairman GT Thompson said Congress also needs to finalize the remaining portions of the farm bill.
“I think we’re very close on that,” he said.
Thompson also wants to address the agriculture workforce and the H-2A visa program. The program allows nonimmigrant foreign workers to fill temporary or seasonal agricultural jobs in the U.S.
Over the summer, Thompson introduced the Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act of 2026, which expands access to the program for year-round operations, controls costs to restore certainty to balance sheets, and cuts red tape.
“That’s something that our country needs for food security. And if we can do that in the in the lame duck session, I think that would be really good,” said Thompson.
In the Senate, Majority Leader John Thune said this week that the Senate has a long list of judicial and executive branch nominations before the new Congress.
“Before we actually embark on the next year, though we’ve got to finish up this year and this year, there are a number of things on our agenda that we want to get done,” said Leader Thune. “We’re going to make the most of the time that we’ve got. Our conference is committed to being here to do whatever it takes to get as much done as we can across the finish line.”
Aside from government funding, Congress also also needs to pass the annual defense policy bill.
