Congress returns from recess

WASHINGTON (NBC, KYMA) - For the first time since September, all lawmakers will be back to work and facing a very different future than when they left.

Many will be gone in January, and those that remain must find a way to work with Democrats in the majority.

So will President Donald Trump, who spoke about the election in his first interview since Republicans were blown out.

It's a full House and Senate again Monday on Capitol Hill as lawmakers return to Washington and a new reality, with Democrats set to take control of Congress in January.

Newly-elected members urging their party to focus on the cost of living.

"If we don't figure that out and get to work on helping people, this is going to be a one-and-done kind of, you know, blue wave," said Sen.-Elect Adam Hamilton (D-KS).

President Trump, in his first major post-election interview, gave CBS' "60 Minutes" his assessment of the reasons for historic Republican losses.

"They didn't like the war. They didn't like the fact that gasoline went up," the president shared.

He again insisted the results would have been different if he were on the ballot, while acknowledging his deportation policy may have hurt him.

"I think it might be too tough," Trump spoke.

He also suggested that's one area where he could work with Democrats adding, "Let the people that are here, and in some cases here for ten and 15 years, work a deal for them."

Despite elevating the man credited as the architect of the administration's immigration crackdown, Stephen Miller, to White House Chief of Staff.

Some leading voices on the left still calling to work together where possible.

"Do I think we can work with Trump? Maybe. I'm, by no means, guaranteeing it. But it is certainly worth the effort," said Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT).

However, calls for investigations grow louder, including a potential impeachment push against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, as soon as this week, led by an outgoing Republican representative.

"I'm a hard yes on the Hegseth resolution," said Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), who is the House Minority Leader.

The president defended Secretary Hegseth while signaling other changes could be coming.

This Congress still has work to do, including preventing another government shutdown before new lawmakers move in the new year.

NBC News is still waiting to hear where the Senate races in Alaska and Mississippi will land, with the Democrats holding on to razor tight leads.