Congress has officially recessed for the year and is slated to return on Friday, January 5. We’ll have the next TWIC out on January 6.

The Senate left town Thursday night after a failed push to move an appropriations “minibus.” A late burst of bipartisan talks briefly raised hopes of getting it done before the holiday break, but Democrats weren’t ready to grant unanimous consent. The package that would fund roughly $1.3 trillion of government spending bundles the Defense, Labor–HHS–Education, Transportation–HUD, Commerce–Justice–Science, and Interior–Environment bills. Fiscal Year 2026 began October 1, and while three of the twelve annual bills have already been signed into law, nine remain unpassed. Current funding runs out January 30 unless Congress completes the remaining appropriations or passes another continuing resolution.

The Senate is also leaving without addressing the Affordable Care Act subsidies cliff, a major unresolved issue in this year’s funding debates. Majority Leader John Thune (R‑SD) signaled that Democrats’ push for a three‑year extension of the enhanced premium tax credits is off the table, but he left room for a shorter bridge paired with policy changes. One option is a brief extension while transitioning to health savings accounts. With both chambers waiting for the new year, the enhanced credits will almost certainly lapse on December 31, which would mean higher premiums for affected enrollees unless a quick deal materializes in early January

There are no congressional hearings until the new year. Merry Christmas and happy holidays!