How the two chambers of returning, retiring and defeated lawmakers approach this session — further complicated by a president seemingly angling for a spending fight and an incoming freshman class that promises to alter the balance of power — will set the tone, and possibly some of the agenda, for the 116th Congress to come.

For Republicans, the session presents a final chance to leave a legacy-making mark while they still control all the levers of power. Democrats are contending with a more complicated mix of motivations: They have little incentive to cave to conservative demands on the cusp of their takeover of the House in January, but they are also reluctant to drag issues from the lame-duck session into next year, preferring instead to start on their own agenda.

The most immediately critical legislation may be the seven remaining appropriations bills to ensure that the entire government remains funded past a Dec. 7 deadline. Issues including a fight over spending on border security have bogged down negotiations, and Trump has threatened to veto legislation without funds for a wall at the border with Mexico.

If negotiations falter, Congress could avoid a shutdown by temporarily funding the government into the new year, but that would force it to take up the appropriations fight again in January.

The farm bill expires in December, and its reauthorization has stalled over the House’s addition of new work requirements for able-bodied adults seeking food stamps, a move Trump has encouraged and many Republicans support. The Senate passed its own bipartisan farm bill without the work requirements.

By contrast, a major revision of prison and sentencing laws that would begin to unwind some tough-on-crime federal policies could unite many Democrats and Republicans — if it comes up for a vote. Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the majority leader, has made no commitment to bring the bill to the floor.

The New York Times

Emily Cochrane © 2018 The New York Times