120th Congress – House Floor Action – Countdown to the First Hundred Hours & Days- Democratic Party – DrWeb’s Domain – DWD Editorial

November 5, 2026

House chamber with lawmakers and signs reading “120TH CONGRESS – HOUSE FLOOR ACTION – COUNTDOWN TO THE FIRST HUNDRED HOURS,” “DEMOCRATIC PARTY,” and “DRWEB’S DOMAIN.” — Lawmakers gather on the House floor beneath a countdown to the first hundred hours of the 120th Congress.

Editor's Note: Researched and verified by Gemini, who coded the clock for me. --DrWeb

Below are the two (2) significant posts on my blog about the process, the work needed, and the approaches to fix the Trump 2nd Term, reverse or remove what Trump or his goons did. The first post was published in May, 2026 -- looking at it then, and what we fix/repair/renew after Trump.

The Heritage of Havoc: Mapping the Post-Trump Reconstruction of 2029 – DrWeb’s Domain Editorial 2026

And the second post, an update, from September 2026

Update: The Heritage of Havoc: Mapping the Post-Trump Reconstruction of 2029 (September 6, 2026)

Part 3: Restoring Constitutional Governance: Legislative Blueprint and Legal Strategy for the Post-2026 Majority

So the first hundred hours theme, goes back to John F. Kennedy, the dynamic, youthful President.

The political benchmark known as the "First 100 Days" traces its roots back to Franklin D. Roosevelt's sweeping emergency legislative blitz in the spring of 1933, but the term itself was popularized by John F. Kennedy at the dawn of his administration in 1961. When FDR assumed office amid the depths of the Great Depression, he called Congress into an extraordinary special session that lasted 99 days,
passing an unprecedented volume of reform bills that fundamentally reshaped the American federal government and established a standard for rapid executive action.

Decades later, JFK deliberately invoked and institutionalized this metric for his own transition,
famously declaring that the true measure of a presidency's momentum and leadership capacity would be crystallized within its initial hundred days. Since Kennedy cemented the phrase in the modern political lexicon, subsequent presidential administrations and legislative sessions have measured their early mandates against this symbolic window—treating the opening months as a crucial proving
ground where structural policy, ideological tone, and legislative supremacy are fought and won.

Editor's Note: This proposed outline is from Gemini AI, and designed to help the new Democratic Leadership, and anyone in government, national, or local, to use to note the destruction of our Democratic norms, our laws, and our Rule of Law --by Trump, His Administration, and goons-- as a guide for the work ahead. Some can come in the first hundred hours, some in the first hundred days. I hope it provides good guidance for the important Guardrails and Corrections are made, to move forward to 2027 and beyond. Some of the "fixes," may take years ("Restore the White House to its former condition...") to change or resolve. Patience and hard work ahead. --DrWeb (with Gemini)

Restoring Constitutional Governance: Legislative Blueprint and Legal Strategy for the Post-2026 Majority

Strategic Context: The Post-2026 Shift

The outcome of the 2026 midterm elections—marked by majorities across both chambers of Congress as well as down-ballot gains across state legislatures, governorships, and state supreme courts—presents an opportunity to recalibrate the separation of powers and fix Trump's follies at being President. I plan to share this with the leadership of our Nation as best i can.

The central challenge in curbing executive overreach is structural: an administration will reliably veto standalone reform legislation that curtails its own executive branch powers. Therefore, structural legislative fixes must be secured through compulsory, high-leverage statutory vehicles—primarily must-pass omnibus appropriations, debt-ceiling legislation, and National Defense Authorization Acts (NDAA)—alongside aggressive committee oversight and state-level legal firewalls.

Priority 1: Statutory Reclamation of the Power of the Purse

Target Window: Months 1 to 6 (Immediate Budget & Appropriations Cycle)

The bedrock of Article I authority is the constitutional mandate that no money shall be drawn from the Treasury except by statutory appropriations. Modern administrative excess operates by diverting, delaying, or reprogramming funds without legislative consent.

1. Closing Loopholes in the National Emergencies Act (NEA)

The Vulnerability: Under the current National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. § 1601 et seq.), an executive emergency declaration persists indefinitely unless affirmatively revoked by a joint resolution of Congress. Because a joint resolution is subject to a presidential veto requiring a two-thirds override vote in both chambers, the executive branch can easily bypass congressional will.
The Statutory Fix: Congress must amend 50 U.S.C. § 1622 to mandate that any declared national emergency automatically expires after 30 to 60 days unless Congress affirmatively passes an approval resolution. Comprehensive legislative analysis from the Brennan Center for Justice's Emergency Powers Reform Project demonstrates that flipping this procedural burden of proof from passive disapproval to mandatory affirmative authorization is the single most effective check against unilateral emergency funding diversions.

2. Enforcing the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (ICA)

The Vulnerability: Under Title X of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. § 681 et seq.), an administration cannot unilaterally withhold, cancel, or defer congressionally appropriated funds without submitting a formal special message to Congress. In practice, administrations have engaged in "pocket rescissions"—withholding funds until the statutory obligation window lapses.
The Statutory Fix:
- Grant the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) explicit, expedited judicial standing under 2 U.S.C. § 687 to seek immediate injunctive relief in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia whenever an agency pauses fund allocations without an active rescission request. Insert binding appropriations riders stipulating that any agency head who intentionally allows appropriated funds to lapse without statutory cause faces mandatory administrative penalties and salary withholding under the Antideficiency Act (31 U.S.C. §§ 1341–1342).

Priority 2: Restoring Congressional War Powers & International Commitments

Target Window: Months 3 to 18 (Committee Hearings & NDAA Amendments)

Unchecked executive action has repeatedly expanded beyond constitutional bounds into unauthorized foreign military strikes and confrontation—most acutely in escalations surrounding Iran—while straining core alliances. And the failed but current Venezuela "involvement," needs to end. And end the War with Iran, and get the Strait open to improve oil transit and access and costs.

1. Sunsetting and Repealing Outdated AUMFs

The Vulnerability: Modern presidents have stretched the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (Public Law 107-40; 50 U.S.C. § 1541 note) and the 2002 Iraq AUMF (Public Law 107-243) to justify continuous overseas kinetic operations far beyond their original statutory intent.
The Statutory Fix:
- Clean Repeal: Enact statutory repeals of the 2002 Iraq AUMF and the 1991 Gulf War authorization.
- 2001 Revision: Replace Public Law 107-40 with a narrow authorization that requires explicit geographic and named-adversary constraints, accompanied by a mandatory 3-year sunset.
- Iran Funding Prohibition: Enact binding language in the annual defense authorization codifying 50 U.S.C. § 1544(c) of the War Powers Resolution, expressly prohibiting the expenditure of Department of Defense funds for offensive military strikes against Iranian territory or armed forces without prior, explicit statutory authorization or a Declaration of War from Congress. And stop killing people from the air in illegal drug control actions and murders of suspected drug traffickers. That's inhumane by our Nation.

2. Codifying Alliance Security (NATO Defense Guardrail)

The Threat: Unilateral executive threats to withdraw from collective defense alliances destabilize global security and international norms.
The Statutory Fix: Maintain and strictly enforce the statutory firewall enacted under Section 1250A of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which explicitly bars any President from withdrawing the United States from NATO or spending appropriated funds to implement a withdrawal without a two-thirds Senate vote or a formal act of Congress.

Priority 3: Protecting the Civil Service & Independent Oversight

Target Window: Months 1 to 24 (Civil Service Rulemaking & Subpoena Enforcement)

A functional constitutional democracy requires a merit-based, non-partisan civil service capable of executing federal law without political coercion.

1. Statutory Ban on "Schedule F" Politicization

The Threat: Executive attempts to reclassify tens of thousands of career civil servants into at-will political appointees (under the Schedule F classification) dismantle statutory merit systems established by the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-454).
The Statutory Fix: Pass the Saving the Civil Service Act (S. 134 / H.R. 492). This statute explicitly limits the executive branch’s ability to move career competitive service positions into excepted service schedules, protecting career civil servants from arbitrary termination and ideological purges.

2. Securing Inspector General Independence

The Vulnerability: The Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. §§ 401–424) allows the President to dismiss an agency Inspector General with only 30 days of written notice to Congress, leaving watchdogs vulnerable to retaliatory termination.
The Statutory Fix: Amend 5 U.S.C. § 403(b) to establish that Inspectors General may only be removed for "good cause" (substantiated malfeasance, abuse of authority, or permanent incapacity) rather than political discretion. Oversight findings from the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) should be directly routed to House Oversight and Senate Homeland Security committees under expedited statutory reporting.

Priority 4: Federal-State Strategic Synergy

Target Window: Immediate and Continuous Across the 2-Year Horizon

Federal majorities must work in tandem with state executives and attorneys general to construct a durable firewall against executive overreach.

1. Multi-State Attorney General Litigation

Using state administrative standing under Massachusetts v. EPA, 549 U.S. 497 (2007), State Attorneys General must challenge improper executive actions, unauthorized tariff applications, and unlawful withholding of state formula grants (e.g., Department of Transportation, Title I education, and Medicaid funding).

2. State-Level Democracy and Civil Protections

While federal voting standards advance through committee, state legislatures (including Nevada's leadership) must reinforce voting protections through state statute:

Codifying access policies via state-level frameworks like the Nevada Assembly Bill 321 (Universal Mail-in Voting Statutes).
Enacting state-level protections for election workers to prevent intimidation and administrative interference.

Priority 5: The Multi-Year Reform Horizon

Area of Governance	Immediate Actions (Months 1–6)	Mid-Term Fixes (Months 6–18)	Long-Term Codification (Years 2–5+)
Emergency Powers & Spending	Add binding appropriations riders prohibiting fund reprogramming.	Amend 50 U.S.C. § 1622 to require affirmative congressional approval.	Overhaul delegated statutory authority across Titles 10, 31, and 50.
War Powers & National Security	Defund unauthorized kinetic operations against Iranian forces.	Formally repeal the 2002 Iraq AUMF and sunset the 2001 AUMF.	Comprehensive update of the War Powers Resolution of 1973 (50 U.S.C. §§ 1541–1548).
Civil Service & Oversight	Issue committee subpoenas regarding executive agency restructurings.	Enact the Saving the Civil Service Act (S. 134).	Reauthorize the Civil Service Reform Act and amend 5 U.S.C. § 403 for "good cause" IG removals.
State & Federal Synergy	Coordinate congressional hearings with state Attorneys General.	Protect federal grant distribution formulas via statutory funding baselines.	Enact comprehensive federal voting rights and redistricting standards.

Bibliography - Works Cited (MLA 9th Edition)

Brennan Center for Justice. A Guide to Emergency Powers and Their Use. New York University School of Law, 2024, https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/guide-emergency-powers-and-their-use. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency. Overview of Inspector General Framework and Independence. CIGIE, https://www.ignet.gov/. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

Massachusetts v. Environmental Protection Agency. 549 U.S. 497, Supreme Court of the United States, 2007. Justia US Supreme Court Center, https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/549/497/. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

Nevada Legislature. Assembly Bill No. 321–Committee on Legislative Operations and Elections. 81st Session, Nevada State Legislature, 2021, https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/81st2021/Bills/AB/AB321_EN.pdf. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

United States, Congress, House. Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002. Public Law 107-243, 107th Congress, 16 Oct. 2002. GovInfo, https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-107publ243/pdf/PLAW-107publ243.pdf. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

United States, Congress, House. `National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024`. Public Law 118-31, 118th Congress, 22 Dec. 2023. Congress.gov, https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/2670/text. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

United States, Congress, Senate. Authorization for Use of Military Force. Public Law 107-40, 107th Congress, 18 Sept. 2001. United States Code, Title 50, Section 1541 note, House Office of the Law Revision Counsel, https://uscode.house.gov/us/usc/119-134/t50/s1541/. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

United States, Congress, Senate. Saving the Civil Service Act. S. 134, 119th Congress, 1st Session, introduced 16 Jan. 2025. Congress.gov, https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/134. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

United States, Congress. Civil Service Reform Act of 1978. Public Law 95-454, 95th Congress, 13 Oct. 1978. GovInfo, https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/STATUTE-92/pdf/STATUTE-92-Pg1111.pdf. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

United States, Congress. Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974. Public Law 93-344, 93rd Congress, 12 July 1974. GovInfo, https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/COMPS-10356/pdf/COMPS-10356.pdf. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

United States, Congress. Inspector General Act of 1978. Public Law 95-452, as amended. United States Code, Title 5, Sections 401–424, House Office of the Law Revision Counsel, https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title5/title5a/node6&edition=prelim. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

United States, Congress. National Emergencies Act. Public Law 94-412, 14 Sept. 1976. United States Code, Title 50, Section 1601 et seq., House Office of the Law Revision Counsel, https://uscode.house.gov/us/usc/119-136/t50/s1601/. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

United States, Congress. War Powers Resolution of 1973. Public Law 93-148, 7 Nov. 1973. United States Code, Title 50, Sections 1541–1548, House Office of the Law Revision Counsel, https://uscode.house.gov/us/usc/119-134/t50/s1541/. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

United States Government Accountability Office. Impoundment Control Act Legal Resources. U.S. GAO, https://www.gao.gov/legal/appropriations-law/impoundment-control-act. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.