共和党人本周重返工作岗位，面临一场特别“跛脚”的跛脚鸭会议的前景。在一场激烈的中期选举之后，他们对国会控制权的倒计时已经开始。
Republicans are returning to work this week, facing the prospect of an especially lame lame-duck session after a bruising midterm election that set off a countdown clock on their control of Congress.
为什么这很重要：民主党在1月之前帮助共和党推进其议程的动力不大，而离任的共和党议员可能会通过缺席投票或违抗党领袖，进一步使事情复杂化。
Why it matters: Democrats have little incentive to help Republicans advance their agenda before January, while departing GOP lawmakers could complicate matters further by skipping votes or defying party leaders.
- 因此，他们待办事项清单上的大多数项目可能会被推迟到新一届国会。
• As a result, most of the items on their to-do list could get kicked to the new Congress.
- 除此之外，还有几个项目是共和党众议院领导人宁愿完全避免的：另一项关于杰弗里·爱泼斯坦的法案，以及一项弹劾投票。
• That's aside from a few items House GOP leaders would rather avoid altogether: another Jeffrey Epstein bill and an impeachment vote.
- 议员们距离另一次潜在的政府资金缺口还有不到一个月的时间。
• Lawmakers also have just over a month before another potential government funding lapse.
新闻推动：众议员托马斯·马西——共和党选民将其踢出局，转而支持一位更亲特朗普的共和党人——正在推动另一项与爱泼斯坦相关的投票，这给政府和共和党领导人带来了额外的头痛。
Driving the news: Rep. Thomas Massie — who GOP voters kicked to the curb in favor of a more Trump-aligned Republican — is pushing another Epstein-related vote, an additional headache for the administration and GOP leaders.
- 他还计划本周试图就其针对国防部长皮特·赫格塞斯的弹劾决议强制进行投票。
• He also plans to try to force a vote this week on his impeachment resolution against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
- 共和党人将于1月3日失去众议院和参议院的多数党地位，届时将失去设定两院立法议程的能力。
• Republicans lose their House and Senate majorities Jan. 3, ending their ability to set both chambers' legislative agendas.
现实检查：特朗普仍然拥有总统否决权。
Reality check: Trump still wields the presidential veto power.
- 罗德尔·莫利诺是一名民主党策略家，也是已故参议院多数党领袖哈里·里德的前传播主任，他说，民主党可能会将一些立法斗争推迟到1月，届时他们将拥有更多的谈判筹码。
• Rodell Mollineau, a Democratic strategist and former communications director for the late Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, said Democrats may postpone some legislative fights until January, when they'll have more negotiating leverage.
- “我认为有一些事情，民主党很乐意拖延下去，”他说。
• "I think there's some things that Democrats would be happy to kick down the road," he said.
但是：国会仍然面临重大的立法障碍。
Yes, but: Congress still faces major legislative hurdles.
- 议员们需要通过年度《国防授权法案》，这可能会引发关于伊朗战争的争论，因为一些共和党人越来越愿意批评这场冲突。
• Lawmakers need to pass the annual National Defense Authorization Act, potentially setting up a fight over the Iran war as some Republicans grow more willing to criticize the conflict.
- 一项两党许可法案可能会彻底改变能源和基础设施项目的审批方式。
• A bipartisan permitting bill could overhaul how energy and infrastructure projects are approved.
- 参议院共和党人也在争分夺秒，争取在民主党接管之前确认更多特朗普政府官员和司法提名人。
• Senate Republicans are also racing to confirm more Trump administration officials and judicial nominees before Democrats take over.
他们说：“必须完成的是拨款和《国防授权法案》，”南希·佩洛西前幕僚长纳迪姆·埃尔沙米对《axios》说。
What they're saying: "What has to get done is appropriations and the NDAA bill," Nadeam Elshami, former chief of staff to Nancy Pelosi, told Axios.
- 民主党人“在这两项讨论中都感到士气高涨”，并且“拥有势头和筹码，”他说，这使得他们不太可能支持推进特朗普优先事项的条款。
• Democrats "feel emboldened in both of those discussions" and "have both the momentum and the leverage," he said, making them unlikely to support provisions advancing Trump's priorities.
- 许可改革“倒是不错，”埃尔沙米说，但面临“真正的障碍。”
• Permitting reform would be nice, Elshami said, but it faces "real hurdles."
- 至于共和党人希望通过另一项预算调和法案的希望？“我看不出那能完成，”他说。
• And as for Republicans' hopes of passing another reconciliation package? "I just don't see that getting done," he said.
深层分析：数十名众议员和至少17名参议员即将离开国会，引发人们对出席率、合作以及离任议员实际愿意做多少工作的疑问——这可谓是国会议员的“毕业班综合征”。
Between the lines: Dozens of House lawmakers and at least 17 senators are leaving Congress, raising questions about attendance, cooperation and how much work departing members actually want to do — consider it a professional case of congressional senioritis.
- 有些人，比如马西，决定搅动局面，让本党感受他们的愤怒。
• Some, like Massie, have decided to shake the table and make their party feel their wrath.
- “如果是关键投票，我相信议员们会回来，”埃尔沙米说。但在不那么重要的投票上：“我非常怀疑他们会在城里。”
• "If it's a critical vote, then I believe members would return," Elshami said. But on less consequential votes: "I highly doubt that they'll be in town."
莫利诺认为存在相互竞争的动机。
Mollineau sees competing incentives.
- “[O]显然作为民主党人，我希望尽可能少的人回来。比如，如果他们很不高兴，就别来，”他对《axios》说。但他补充道，“你还在领薪水。这仍然是你的工作。”
• "[O]bviously as a Democrat, I want as few of these people to come back as possible. Like if they're grumpy, stay away," he told Axios. But, he added, "You're still getting paid. This is still your job."
- 正在考虑游说工作或未来竞选的离任议员也有理由出席：“议员们的记忆力非常长，非常长，”他说。
• Outgoing lawmakers eyeing lobbying jobs or future campaigns also have reason to show up: "members have very long, very long memories," he said.
- 即便如此，他警告说：“我不认为他们能让所有这些即将退休的议员都重拾热情。”
• Even so, he warned: "I don't think they're going to be able to get the enthusiasm out of all these retiring members."
国会是否能完成其主要立法优先事项，还是将这些战斗留给新的民主党多数派，尚不得而知。
Whether Congress manages to finish its major legislative priorities, or whether lawmakers leave those fights to the new Democratic majorities.