Democrats are reveling in their victory in the midterm elections, while Republicans are pondering the consequences of a stunning defeat. But before Republicans turn over legislative power to their Democratic rivals, both parties will return to Washington, DC, for a nearly two-month transition period known as a lame-duck Congress.

The lame-duck session refers to the time between a federal election in early November and Jan. 3, when new and returning members of the House of Representatives and Senate are sworn in. Its name derives from the idea that elected officials’ influence is greatly diminished during their last days in power.

During the lame-duck period, members of the existing Congress are supposed to finish the legislative business of the current term. This year, scores of lawmakers are in their final weeks in office, either because they lost their seats in the latest election or because they chose not to run again.

The 2026 lame-duck Congress is of particular interest because of the vast transfer of power ahead. Republicans currently control the House and the Senate with slim majorities; come Jan. 3, Democrats will have a commanding majority in the House and their biggest lead in the Senate since the first presidential term of Barack Obama in 2009-2010.

Congressional Republicans and President Donald Trump, a fellow Republican, could use the next two months as a last chance to push through favored legislation or advance judicial and administrative appointments before those actions become near-impossible under Democratic majorities.

Republicans likely will take advantage of the remaining days of their congressional majority by seeking to pass legislation on conservative priorities.

The Republicans’ to-do list probably starts with a defense spending authorization bill, and possibly providing more funding for the Iran war. They also are expected to focus on passing a government funding bill, either for the full year or as a stopgap, to avert a government shutdown over the holidays. The current short-term spending measure expires on Dec. 11.

Republicans also are expected to seek a bipartisan deal to expedite permitting of energy projects. Other priorities include renewing key spy powers and funding for farm programs.

It is fairly common for some cabinet secretaries or other officials to depart an administration at the two-year mark. If there is going to be turnover in Trump’s cabinet — Secretary of State Marco Rubio is considering leaving the administration, Bloomberg News reported, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s future has been a topic of speculation — Trump might want to expedite having his preferred replacements considered by a friendly, Republican-majority Senate.

Trump also could seek to win approval of judges he has nominated. As of early November, nine of Trump’s judicial nominations were awaiting consideration by the Senate Judiciary Committee, Reuters reported, while 13 more have been cleared by the committee and were awaiting approval by the full Senate.

of the Supreme Court’s nine justices have indicated they would take the unusual step of retiring before Democrats take control. That includes Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, the two oldest judges and members of its conservative majority.

According to the Congressional Research Service, the last Supreme Court justice to win confirmation during a lame-duck session was Harlan Fiske Stone in 1925, when the post-election transition stretched until March. (In 1933, the 20th Amendment to the US Constitution shortened the duration of the lame-duck period.) It typically takes more than two months for the Senate to confirm a president’s Supreme Court nominee, though in the case of current Justice Amy Coney Barrett, Republicans managed to get it done in 27 days, sealing her appointment before the 2020 presidential election.

Officially, none. A lame-duck Congress has the same power as any Congress. But the future of Republican leadership is now in flux, which can make passing legislation and carrying out other priorities difficult. In addition, Republicans’ midterm losses amounted to a sharp repudiation of the party’s policies by voters. Republicans might not want to pursue legislative goals that run counter to popular opinion, even though they technically retain power in Congress.

The party also might be preoccupied by a leadership battle. House Speaker Mike Johnson has told his staff that he won’t seek a leadership role in the new Congress, Bloomberg News reported, while House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan both plan to seek the post of minority leader. They will have to cultivate support among their House peers in their waning days in the majority. And though Democrats aren’t yet in power, they are clearly feeling emboldened to oppose the Republican majority’s final push.