Chuck Schumer's late push to get landmark marijuana legislation passed this year looks doomed, sources tell us.

Why it matters: The next few weeks are Democrats' last chance to get the weed banking bill passed. Now it will have to find an unlikely way through a Republican-dominated Congress.

• The Secure and Fair Enforcement Regulation Banking Act would protect banks that work with cannabis companies, giving the marijuana industry access to more sources of funding.
• Schumer pushed for the bill to be attached to must-pass packages before the end of this year, but sources tell us there is no path to getting it through the Senate this Congress.

The big picture: The marijuana bill has picked up bipartisan support but Republican leaders, including McConnell, are opposed to the legislation.

• It's proving difficult for the parties to get any bills to ride along with must-pass funding bills before the end of the year.
• Sources tell us the government funding package and a defense authorization bill are likely to be very narrow in focus, leaving little room for a bill like the cannabis banking one to get attached.

Yes, but: Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.), an ally of GOP leadership, is a cosponsor of the bill, and it has bipartisan support.

• Schumer has long been a proponent of the legislation, and we are told he will continue to push for the bill's passage by the end of the year.

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— Stephen Neukam

Outgoing Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell went out of his way today to praise Speaker Mike Johnson behind closed doors, we have learned.

Why it matters: It was a signal to the conference McConnell has led for 18 years that the still-new House speaker should be trusted and supported.

• McConnell plans to wield power as the chair of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee and chair of the Rules Committee.
• Having a productive relationship with Johnson could help him achieve his foreign policy objectives, especially on Ukraine.

Between the lines: McConnell stopped short of endorsing Johnson in his speaker's bid — something he has never waded into.

• But multiple sources in the room noted the leader's decision to speak highly of Johnson.
• McConnell's opinion won't carry much weight in the House — especially with conservatives who could threaten Johnson's speakership. Still, it is a reminder to senators they can find ways to work with and bolster Johnson.

Driving the news: Johnson briefly spoke to Republican senators during their policy retreat today, led by incoming Majority Leader John Thune and incoming GOP policy chair Sen. Shelley Moore Capito.

• It was an eventful meeting: President-elect Trump dialed in for a pep-talk and Thune laid out his plans to use two reconciliation packages to pass Trump's agenda.

Before Johnson left, McConnell commended him for how he has handled a difficult job in managing a razor-thin Republican majority in the face of unhappy members, who don't mind deposing their speaker.

• That's high praise from a senator who has survived leadership challenges.

Zoom out: The two GOP leaders are unlikely bedfellows — an institutionalist defense hawk who has had harsh words for Trump vs. a relatively young conservative who rose to power by aligning his policies with Trump's.

• But McConnell has been clear that one of his proudest recent achievements was securing billions of dollars of military aid for Ukraine earlier this year.
• Johnson — at the urging of McConnell — ultimately passed the aid package through the House with help from House Democrats.

The bottom line: Johnson faces a tough leadership reelection in January, with a vocal conservative flank threatening to withhold support.

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— Stef Kight and Hans Nichols

Trump's defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth appears to be losing ground with GOP senators after a barrage of negative news articles.

• At least six Senate Republicans aren't on board with Hegseth at this point, NBC News reported tonight, citing allegations of sexual misconduct and misuse of alcohol.

"The articles I've read, yeah, some of them are concerning," Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said today.

• "These disgusting allegations are completely unfounded and false, and anyone peddling these defamatory lies to score political cheap shots is sickening," a Trump transition spokesperson told NBC.

Zoom in: Trump's transition has finally cut a deal to allow background checks on his nominees, even as it's unclear if they're a requirement or a choice.

• "I thought it was necessary to smooth the transition," Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) told reporters.
• Grassley told Semafor he could live with a third-party investigation "if the resources are there."

Other Republicans were more absolute: "I believe that we need an FBI background check to evaluate the allegations," Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said when asked about Hegseth.

Each explosive development in House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries' ranks appears to spawn two more in its place.

• Why it matters: Jeffries is discovering leadership skirmishes are hard to contain and invariably hop from committee to committee.

Today's double blasts:

1) Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) formally launched his bid to replace Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) as the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee.

• Raskin is challenging Judiciary Committee ranking member Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.).
• Connolly could face a challenge from several other Democrats, including Reps. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), as we previously reported.

2) The Natural Resources Committee may be a contested fight again after appearing to be wrapped up.

• Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) is "taking a serious look" at running for the role after "a number of stakeholders reached out," her spokesperson Caroline Sweeney told us.
• But Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) appears to have the inside track: He has commitments from over 140 colleagues, a source familiar with the matter told us.

— Andrew Solender