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ARTICLE · 29 OCTOBER 2026

Beyond The Midterms: Congress Faces Converging Year-End Deadlines

Congress returns after the midterm elections facing a December 11, 2026, deadline when government funding and multiple major authorizations expire simultaneously. Year-end outcomes may include full-year appropriations, another continuing resolution, or a hybrid package combining temporary extensions with bipartisan measures. Organizations must monitor appropriations, permitting reform, surface transportation, the Farm Bill, healthcare extenders, and other expiring authorities as congressional leaders determ

United StatesGovernment, Public Sector

Highlights

  • The U.S. Congress will return after the midterm elections facing a compressed agenda, with government funding and several major authorizations converging around the December 11, 2026, deadline.
  • Year-end outcomes may include full-year appropriations, another continuing resolution or a hybrid package pairing temporary extensions with selected bipartisan measures.
  • Organizations should monitor appropriations, permitting reform, surface transportation, the Farm Bill, healthcare extenders and other expiring authorities as congressional leaders determine which items can advance before adjournment.

The U.S. Congress will return after the midterm elections facing a crowded and interconnected year-end agenda. The most immediate deadline is December 11, 2026, when the current continuing resolution (CR) expires. The lame-duck session will also require action – or at minimum another temporary extension – on surface transportation programs, portions of the

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