Good Thursday morning. I'm Anna Palmer. And welcome to your Politico Playbook audio briefing, sponsored by Google.

And I'm Jake Sherman. We've hit a lull. Congress is expected to pass a two-week extension of government funding this week by unanimous consent. We don't expect any problems. But this is given D.C. a strange two-week lull during which very little is expected to happen. The real back and forth

between the two parties is expected to kick off next week when President Donald Trump, Nancy Pelosi

and Chuck Schumer meet at the White House. But even then, the Capitol Hill action won't get

real until December 17th. Right now, Democrats and Republicans can't even agree on the

definition of what a border wall is.

One element that's not getting enough attention, it's not just government funding that runs out

at years end.

Congress needs to pass new disaster funding.

The Violence Against Women Act needs to be renewed, and so does the farm bill.

John Bresnehan and Alice Eisenstadt have some news this morning.

Parker polling, a top aide to Representative Patrick

McHenry, has been tapped to serve as NRCC executive director next cycle. Here's what no one will say

on the record. The knock on the NRCC, and any party committee for that matter, is that it takes dues

from members and doesn't always support them electorally when they need it.

Polling is among the most savvy at dealing with Republican members of Congress, so her skills

here will be particularly valuable. Of course, the NRC has its work cut out for it. Republicans

will be deep in the minority, and the committee is facing flack for not telling top members of leadership

or the rank and file it was hacked during the election season.

Ileana Johnson and Burgess Everett are also up with a piece looking at how Trump is now slow walking

his staff shakeup. Speaking of the post-Trump life, Burgess also caught up with Jeff Sessions

on the Senate subway following George H.W. Bush's

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