Hawaii Congressman Ed Case says Democrats retaking both chambers of Congress in January is a voter rebuke of the current administration, with affordability and government oversight now top of the agenda.

• Democrats will control the House and Senate starting January 3, after what Case calls a nationwide repudiation of the president's direction, not an automatic embrace of the Democratic alternative.
• Case says his top priority remains the cost of living, inflation, health care, and child care, problems he says tariffs and wars have made worse, especially for Hawaii.
• On Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Case stopped short of backing impeachment now, calling it a last resort, but said he wants responsible oversight of the Defense Department and would support impeachment under the right circumstances.
• A government funding deadline hits December 11, and Case says avoiding a shutdown is his immediate priority, with Republicans still in the majority and responsible for funding bills until the new Congress is seated.
• He also flagged a vote on the Major Richard Star Act, which would stop reducing pay for combat-disabled veterans.

Outlook: Expect a push to avoid a government shutdown before the December 11 funding deadline, with sharper Democratic oversight of the administration once the new Congress convenes in January.