Both chambers are back in session this week. The House is considering a range of measures related to small business development, financial transparency, consumer protection, judicial matters, education policy, workforce protections, and government accountability.

Lawmakers face a tight calendar, with just 13 legislative days remaining in the House and 12 in the Senate before the holiday recess. One of the most contentious issues continues to be Affordable Care Act subsidies, which were a major sticking point for Democrats during the recent shutdown. Before Thanksgiving, President Trump signaled he might propose a two-year extension to give Republicans time to craft a longer-term health care plan. However, following significant pushback from GOP leaders, including Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), it now appears unlikely that the White House will pursue an extension or offer its own proposal.

As part of the agreement to reopen the government, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) promised Democrats a vote on extending the subsidies by next week. Without White House involvement however, it remains unclear how any proposal could secure the 60 votes needed for passage.

On appropriations, Senator Thune hopes to advance the next FY2026 funding package following the end of the 43-day shutdown. His plan would combine Defense, Labor-HHS, Transportation-HUD, and Commerce-Justice-Science into a single minibus, with Interior possibly included. Moving this forward would require unanimous consent in the Senate. Thune could bring the measure up at any time, possibly this week, though the Senate floor is also expected to be occupied with judicial and executive branch nominations. Meanwhile, House Republican leaders do not anticipate bringing any spending legislation to the floor this month, opting instead to wait and see what the Senate can accomplish.

Congress must resolve federal funding or face another partial shutdown at midnight on January 30.

Committee Hearings of Interest this week:

House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Strengthening the Workforce of Veterans in America at 10:30 AM today (details here)

House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Securing America’s Energy Infrastructure: Addressing Cyber and Physical Threats to the Grid at 10:30 AM today (details here)

House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Unleashing American Energy Dominance and Exploring New Frontiers at 2:00 PM tomorrow (details here)