Lame Duck Session is… Monday, November 28 to Wednesday, December 21 for the Senate; Tuesday, November 29 to Thursday, December 15 for the House. What do you bet the House, at least, extends the session beyond that as Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) tries to get the most out of her majority before turning it over to the GOP next year? First and foremost on Congress’ to-do list is to pass a big spending bill in order to keep the federal government funded past Friday, December 16. 

There is also the issue of ex-President Trump's tax returns, just cleared by the Supreme Court for the House Ways & Means Committee to examine. That must be done before the Republicans take over, as well.

Senate Democrats, who will maintain their majority and possibly pick up an extra seat with the Georgia special election December 6, hopes to codify same-sex marriage, pass the Electoral Count Act to make it tougher to overturn a free and fair election, and maybe even codify abortion rights nationally. The latter faces an especially hard fight, as at least 10 Republicans will have to join all Democrats to make Roe v. Wade the law of the land, notes NPR’s Mara Liasson. 

--Compiled and edited by Todd Lassa