2026 deadlines loom as Congress leaves DC with several unfinished battles
Capitol Hill is a ghost town with both the House and Senate out of session until a few days into the new year.Lawmakers left town the week before Christmas, and...
By Fox News · Fox News
Capitol Hill is a ghost town with both the House and Senate out of session until a few days into the new year. Lawmakers left town the week before Christmas, and with their departure have left several key fights unresolved — with deadlines looming large for both Republicans and Democrats. Congress voted to end the longest-ever government shutdown in history last month after 43 days of gridlock. But lawmakers did not strike a deal on federal funding for the rest of fiscal year (FY) 2026, which they're expected to do annually. Instead, they passed a portion of FY 2026 funding while punting the deadline for the majority of areas to Jan. 30. CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS WIDEN 2026 BATTLEFIELD, ZERO IN ON NEW HOUSE REPUBLICAN TARGETS Senate Republicans had hoped to strike a deal on the vast majority of the remaining funds before leaving town, but various objections from senators on both sides of the aisle delayed an actual vote. Now, that legislation will have to be reckoned with in early January. During that month, the House and Senate will only have a total of eight days in session together before the Jan. 30 deadline. The Senate will have 15 total days in session, while the House will have 12. Millions of people across the country are expected to see an increase in how much they pay for healthcare premiums every month starting in January. Congress, meanwhile, has failed to pass a compromise between the House and Senate to help Americans deal with the rising cost. For some Americans on Obamacare, part of that is due to COVID-19 pandemic-era enhanced subsidies expiring at the end of 2025. Republicans have largely rejected the notion of extending those subsidies, at least without significant reforms. But a small group of moderate GOP lawmakers are pushing for a short-term extension to give Congress time to create a more permanent system for lowering costs. THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO WHERE WE STAND WITH A HEALTHCARE PACKAGE The House passed a healthcare reform bill aimed at ex…