Lame Duck: What needs to get done vs. what actually will get done
December 4, 2020

Washington Commentary - Lame Duck: What needs to get done vs. what actually will get done

Congress returned to Washington from the campaign trail only to be confronted by the mountain of work they left behind.

Congressional leadership elections, a December 11 funding deadline to avoid a government shutdown, on-again/off-again COVID-19 stimulus negotiations, and formally beginning and ending a conference on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). And those are just the “big ticket” items that need to be addressed before Congress adjourns for the December holidays.

Always in the mix at the end of the year are a hodgepodge of bipartisan supported tax extenders. Business groups are focused on reducing uncertainty, so there could be action on the 30-some extenders in the lame duck. And if a tax extender package fails to come to fruition (not the first time), look to Congress to retroactively address expiring alcohol, excise, airline, clean energy and other miscellaneous provisions early in the 117th Congress.

So what are the dynamics at play over the next couple of months, and how will they drive outcomes?

Let’s take a look.

success failure

Keep up-to-date

Sign up to receive the latest insights from Invesco’s global team of experts and details about on demand and upcoming online events. 

Keep up-to-date

When you interact with us, we may collect information about you which constitutes personal data under applicable laws and regulations. Our privacy notice explains how we use and protect your personal data.

If your interests change, you can update your preferences at any time.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Investment risks

  • The value of investments and any income will fluctuate (this may partly be the result of exchange rate fluctuations) and investors may not get back the full amount invested.

Important information

  • Where individuals or the business have expressed opinions, they are based on current market conditions, they may differ from those of other investment professionals and are subject to change without notice.