Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, said Thursday that Republicans should prepare to pass a major reconciliation bill after the November midterm elections, even if Democrats gain control of one or both chambers of Congress.

“We will do a reconciliation bill; one way or the other, we will,” Moreno told reporters at the Capitol, referring to a budget procedure that allows certain legislation to pass the Senate with a simple majority rather than the usual 60 votes.

“Obviously, if we lose control of Congress, it'll be the Last Supper,” Moreno added, describing the potential legislative push as an opportunity to advance as many Republican priorities as possible before the next Congress takes office in January.

Moreno said the package would be “giant” and include “all the Republican priorities that we can get done.” His remarks reflect Republican efforts to prepare for the possibility that the party could lose its current ability to advance legislation without Democratic support.

The House approved a reconciliation framework over the summer that includes military funding, agricultural assistance and election-related initiatives. Those election provisions include grants intended to encourage states to adopt voter identification and proof-of-citizenship requirements. However, the proposal has stalled in the Senate.

Moreno suggested that the possibility of losing congressional control could increase pressure on Republicans to resolve the impasse and pass the legislation before the end of the year. He also raised the possibility of including an increase in the federal debt ceiling, warning against the economic consequences of a default.

“I mean, nobody wants to see a debt default,” Moreno said. “That would be 1929 on steroids.”

Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Va., also argued that Republicans needed to pass another reconciliation bill after the election, though he cautioned against expanding the existing House proposal.

“I think you have to go with the one that we've got,” Wittman said. “The Senate needs to act and get the job done.”

Wittman, a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, emphasized the importance of the military provisions, saying the legislation was “key to restock our weapons magazine” and “should be the main focus when [members] get back.”

Moreno proposed an aggressive schedule if Democrats win control of both chambers, arguing that Republicans should remain in Washington through the end of the year rather than take their customary holiday breaks.

“If we lose the House and the Senate, we should be here from Nov. 9 until Dec. 31 with no break at all,” Moreno said. “Like, we'll have turkeys here for Thanksgiving because we have to get this done.”

The November elections will determine how much time Republicans have to pursue their legislative agenda before the next Congress convenes in January. Moreno's proposal would put pressure on GOP lawmakers to resolve disagreements over the reconciliation package and use the remaining weeks of the year to advance priorities that could face greater obstacles under a divided Congress.