Congress is back and has a very busy month ahead. Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller look ahead to debates around war powers, discharge petitions and veto overrides before offering predictions for the rest of 2026. Will there be another government shutdown? How many more members will retire? Will a vacancy open on the Supreme Court? All that and more on a new episode of CONTROL.

Hosts: Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller

Audio Producer: Benji Englander

Video Producer: Regina Anderson

Articles Discussed:

Punchbowl News: Congress steps on the gas pedal

Politico: Senate to vote on war powers measure following Maduro ouster

Axios: House Republicans move to override Trump vetoes in rare show of defiance

NPR: More than 10% of Congress won't return to their seats after 2026

On the year’s final episode of CONTROL, Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller take a trip down memory lane to reminisce about the biggest stories of 2025 as told through the podcast. Then, Paul Kane, Washington Post Senior Congressional Correspondent, joins the show to look back on the first year of this Congress and what the second may have in store. How have the Congressional leaders performed? Will the legislative branch reassert itself with the White House? And are we seeing hints of the GOP moving beyond President Trump?

Hosts: Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller

Guest: Paul Kane, Washington Post

Audio Producer: Benji Englander

Video Producer: Regina Anderson

Articles Discussed:

CBS News: Congress gears up for busy week on health care, national security

Roll Call: Senate eyes NDAA passage next week amid aviation safety worries

WaPo: ‘Not an easy call’: The Democrats who struggled with their shutdown vote

WaPo: Texas midterms point to ideological corners, not swing-state issues

CNN: After a year of Trump-inspired inaction, some Republicans in Congress are growing restless

WSJ: Trump’s Next Renovation Target: D.C.’s Golf Courses

On a new episode of CONTROL, hosts Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller are joined by the Wall Street Journal’s Olivia Beavers to discuss the increasingly tense relationship between the speaker and some in his conference. With members questioning Speaker Johnson’s leadership, can he maintain control of his majority? Will lawmakers be able to address voter affordability concerns? Can Congress pass anything the rest of the year? And what does it all mean for the midterms less than a year from now?

Hosts: Brendan Buck and Annalyse Keller

Guest: Olivia Beavers, Wall Street Journal

Audio Producer: Benji Englander

Video Producer: Regina Anderson

Articles Discussed:

WSJ: Trump Ally Elise Stefanik Attacks Speaker Johnson’s Leadership

WSJ: Congress Turns Chaotic as Lawmakers Target Each Other

Puck: Johnson’s Career Crisis & The House G.O.P. Exodus

NBC News: Some House Republican women are in open revolt against Speaker Mike Johnson

POLITICO: Mike Johnson scrambles to pass Pentagon bill as GOP ranks seethe

The Hill: House cancels vote on the SCORE Act amid GOP opposition

NYT: Trump Blasts Lawmaker for Remaining Democrat After Receiving Pardon