WASHINGTON — Congress returns from Thanksgiving with a Christmas tree lighting scheduled for Tuesday and lengthy to-do list before the next holiday break, even though there’s no budget deadline until the end of January.

The tree lighting is an annual tradition, with bipartisan members of the Nevada delegation expected to join Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., for the festivities. This year’s tree comes from the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest in the Silver State.

For the moment, the most likely big bill on the move is the National Defense Authorization Act.

Leaders of the Armed Services committees are reported to have finished their work on a compromise fiscal 2026 defense policy bill, and bill text is likely to be unveiled this week. House floor consideration could come next week.

That is

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