WASHINGTON — After more than 50 days out of session, the U.S. House returned Monday for its first full week back in Washington, with a long to-do list before the end of the year.

Members of Alabama’s congressional delegation told Alabama Daily News they would hone in on finalizing the annual defense policy bill, making health care more affordable and finishing the rest of the full-year spending bills before the next funding deadline at the end of January.

By Thanksgiving, House Armed Services Chairman Mike Rogers is optimistic that the House and Senate will reconcile their differences in competing National Defense Authorization Acts to set up an early December vote.

“There’s very few outstanding issues left, and the ones that are left are not big,” Rogers, R-Saks, told ADN. “And I don’t

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