What the Extensions in the CR Signal about the Months Ahead

Congress didn’t just avert a shutdown last week; it quietly extended nearly 100 expiring authorities across every part of the federal government. While these extensions look like routine maintenance to keep key programs functioning, they reveal a Congress bracing for limited action in 2026. For most issues in Congress, tackling many issues on must-pass bills tends to be the surest way to find bipartisan consensus, and this time was no different.

The reauthorizations signal several things as we look at what’s yet to come:

Major reauthorizations are nowhere near ready, from Farm Bill programs to health care extenders to small but essential authorities spread across USDA, DOI, DHS, EPA, and more; many committees did not even begin public consideration of new reauthorization bills running up to the deadline.

Congress needs a quick fix to avoid multiple program lapses while committees decide what they can actually move in 2026.

The election-year policy timeline is already shrinking, and leadership is trying to avoid cliff after cliff in the spring. Congress has a very limited window in 2026 to move bipartisan policy before Congress is fully focused on elections. Most of these long-term extensions will likely be pushed to the lame duck.

The CR tees up Congress for another deadline of next September 30, which will inevitably lead to a short-term extension with elections so close. This increases the chances of a very large end-of-year package in the lame duck next year that will include authorizations, along with other bills that policymakers want included.

While December 2026 seems like a long time from now, it’s never too early to start planning. Real reauthorizations take time and energy and will require bipartisan agreements – a particular rarity during an election year. Stakeholders will need to keep consistent pressure on congressional champions to continue to work through these reauthorizations going into next year.