Congress returns this week to mark the beginning of the second session of the 119^th Congress. The House is scheduled to consider two Energy & Commerce bills, the SHOWER Act (H.R. 4593), a technical update to the federal “showerhead” definition, and the Affordable HOMES Act (H.R. 5184), which would bar the Department of Energy (DOE) from enforcing manufactured‑housing energy standards and require that any Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recommendations must be cost‑effective, consider life‑cycle costs and payback, and reflect factory constraints and climate zones.

We expect floor action on the slew of energy choice bills that NEFI endorsed last year, including the Energy Choice Act (H.R. 3699) in the coming weeks. NEFI will continue to update you as these bills progress through congress.

Over the weekend, President Donald Trump announced a U.S. operation that seized Nicolás Maduro and brought him to New York to face federal charges. In response, the Senate is preparing a War Powers vote to require Congressional authorization for further hostilities in or against Venezuela, with floor action expected this week.

Meanwhile, with the enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits now expired, House Democrats are pushing for a three-year extension. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) has secured enough signatures for a discharge petition, a procedural tool that allows a bill to bypass leadership and come directly to the floor for a vote. A vote on this motion could occur as early as this week.

Appropriators continued negotiations over the holidays on fiscal year 2026 Commerce-Justice-Science, Energy-Water, and Interior-Environment spending bills, and House floor action is possible this week. With the current continuing resolution set to expire on January 30, lawmakers may need to advance additional appropriations or pass another short-term funding measure before month’s end.

Tomorrow at 10:00 AM, the House Committee on Small Business will hold a hearing on how the small business administration (SBA) is cutting red tape. You can watch the proceedings here.