House Republicans return to Capitol Hill with limited time left in power

House Republicans left Washington in September hoping to preserve their majority. They return Monday having lost control of the chamber, with just 20 legislative days to finish their business before Democrats take power.Among the unfinished business left behind in September are the annual defense authorization bill, government funding, and the reauthorization of a key government surveillance tool.The Senate is also eyeing a vote on a bipartisan permitting reform bill, which, if passed, would come to the House for a vote. A House GOP aide told the Washington Examiner there is hope the Senate clears a bill on daylight saving time as well. Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), meanwhile, wrote in a post on X that Republicans “should work to pass a reconciliation package in the next 8 weeks to take away leverage points from Democrats on spending.”Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) has signaled plans to force a vote on his articles to impeach War Secretary Pete Hegseth, which he introduced on Sept. 15 before the House went home early ahead of the November elections. The outgoing Kentucky Republican has claimed a discharge petition forcing a vote on his Epstein Files Transparency Act II will gain 218 signatures.The legislation would give state attorneys general, survivors, and members of Congress the ability to sue the U.S. attorney general to demand disclosure of the remaining documents.But, with only 20 days on the legislative calendar before the end of the 119th Congress, Republicans will have to prioritize which bills they want to pass to cement their legacy. Negotiations to reach a government funding deal are expected to take priority, however, as lawmakers have until Dec. 11 to reach an agreement to prevent a shutdown.In anticipation of the Democratic takeover in Washington, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA), who is running for House minority leader in the next Congress, told committee chairs in a Thursday letter obtained by the Washington Examiner to “begin preparing for House Democrats to control the committee gavels next Congress.”Scalise claimed that Democrats’ main focus in the majority will be “retribution and unleashing countless witch hunts under the guise of ‘oversight.'”“They will use their oversight authorities to harass the President, his family, cabinet officials, and they will seek to destroy our allies,” Scalise wrote. “You all will be a key line of defense in this fight, and we must maximize our remaining days in power to prepare for what is coming.”House Republicans’ leadership elections are sure to overshadow the first week back in session as the party weighs how to move forward. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) announced Wednesday that he would not seek a leadership position in the next Congress, opening the door for a two-way race between Scalise and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH).WHAT’S IN THE SECOND EPSTEIN TRANSPARENCY BILL PUSHED BY MASSIE AND KHANNA?The battle for minority whip and the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee has also begun. House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) is facing Republican Study Committee Chairman August Pfluger (R-TX). In the NRCC chairman race, Reps. Brian Jack (R-GA) and Rudy Yakym (R-IN) are battling it out.There is also a three-way race for the Republican conference chair, with Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-MI) vying for another term against Reps. Greg Steube (R-FL) and Erin Houchin (R-IN).Republicans will vote on Tuesday.