Ever since November, when Republicans swept both chambers of Congress and the White House, GOP lawmakers have been bullish about making the most of what they see as a clear mandate to reinvent Washington.
But as Republicans try to shake off a close call with a government shutdown and prepare for Donald Trump’s first 100 days, lawmakers are starting to grapple with a simple reality: They may not be able to do much of anything.
“They can’t even extend government funding,” a frustrated Sen. Josh Hawley told NOTUS in December, as the House GOP nearly imploded over a stopgap spending bill.