Congress returns November 10 for a lame-duck session after Democrats gained control in the November 3 midterms, with current continuing resolution funding expiring December 11. Lawmakers must enact another stopgap measure or full-year appropriations to prevent a lapse, but the 60-vote Senate threshold requires bipartisan support amid competing priorities such as the National Defense Authorization Act and farm bill extensions. Incoming Democratic majorities reduce Republican incentive for early concessions, while historical patterns show elevated risk of brief funding gaps during divided-government transitions. Traders assess the December 12 deadline as the key resolution trigger, with any agreement or standoff directly shaping implied probabilities.