US Congress faces December pile-up as default threat looms

Lawmakers return to Washington Monday staring down a critical holiday season to-do list that juggles Joe Biden’s domestic spending priorities with keeping the government open and averting a catastrophic debt default. Senators are bracing for what is shaping up to be the one of the most grueling Decembers in years, with defense funding and the expanding probe into the January 6 insurrection likely to add to the workload. But the top priority is government funding, with federal agencies due to run out of cash on Friday. A lasting deal to avoid a damaging shutdown would require agreement on spending bills…