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Farm Bill Progress and FY2027 Markups
The House Appropriations Committee is moving forward on Fiscal Year 2027 spending bills, with several subcommittee markups underway this week.
Congress Leaves for Recess Amid Shutdown, Shake-Ups, and Growing Uncertainty
As Congress heads into April recess, it leaves behind a remarkable degree of disorder. Between a government shutdown now stretching beyond 45 days, the ouster of two Trump Cabinet secretaries, an ongoing war in Iran, and a narrowing legislative window before August, lawmakers are leaving Washington with far more unresolved than addressed. Below is a breakdown of the latest stretch of congressional chaos and what to watch when members return.
House GOP Rejects Senate Deal, Deepening DHS Funding Stalemate
After more than a month of stalemate, the Senate, led by John Thune and Chuck Schumer, passed a bipartisan deal to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), aiming to finally end the prolonged shutdown. However, the agreement notably excluded funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol, two of the most contentious elements in the negotiations. While the deal represented a compromise, it also reflected Democrats’ refusal to fund immigration enforcement agencies without policy reforms and Republicans’ willingness, at least in the Senate, to temporarily set that fight aside to reopen the government.
The Challenge of Lowering Fuel Prices
The Trump administration faces a key dilemma: it is under mounting pressure to curb rising fuel prices ahead of the midterm elections, but analysts argue that its ability to influence prices has narrowed, as global energy market instability is the main driver. Vice President JD Vance is meeting with oil executives as the administration, having already released millions of barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and loosened shipping restrictions, seeks solutions.
The DHS Funding Fight
On January 31, 2026, the U.S. federal government entered a partial shutdown after Congress failed to pass appropriations legislation ahead of the fiscal year deadline...not because lawmakers couldn’t agree on overall spending, but because of a bitter dispute over funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Congress Faces Year-End Crunch as ACA Subsidies Poised to Expire
Thursday afternoon, the Senate rejected two competing measures aimed at addressing the impending expiration of Affordable Care Act subsidies, making a Jan 1 increase in premiums ever more likely. Four Republicans, Sens. Susan Collins, Dan Sullivan, Lisa Murkowski, and Josh Hawley, joined Democrats in supporting a three-year extension to the program, but fell short of the 60-vote threshold needed. The Republican plan to partially replace the lapsed subsidies with federally funded tax-advantaged health savings account also failed on a 51 to 48 vote.
Record Shutdown Ends
Last night, the historic 43-day government shutdown finally ended. The final tally was 222 to 209. The House passed legislation that reopens the federal government and funds several agencies but excludes an extension of the enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits. The bill also reinstates federal workers laid off during the shutdown, guarantees back pay for furloughed employees, and prevents further layoffs through the holiday season.
Senate Advances Defense Policy Bill After Weeks-Long Stalemate
Last Thursday, the Senate approved its version of the annual defense policy bill (S.2296) in a 77-20 vote. The measure authorizes $925.8 billion in national defense spending, $32.1 billion above the levels requested by the Trump administration. The vote ends a nearly month-long impasse over the amendment process that had stalled the bill since early September.
Negotiations Continue, Agencies Release Shutdown Directives, and the Executive Branch Retaliates
The federal government officially shut down at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, October 1, following the Senate’s failure to pass the House-approved continuing resolution (CR) [217 - 212]. The House remains in recess, leaving the Senate as the only chamber currently in session and capable of taking action to reopen the government.
State of the Shutdown: Updates We’ve Been Watching
The threat of a government shutdown continues to loom over Washington after a week of dueling proposals. The Republican stopgap was rejected by Democrats on a 48-44 vote after passing the House on Friday morning. Sen. Fetterman (PA) was the only Democrat to vote for the GOP proposal, while Sen. Murkowski (AK) and Sen. Paul (KY) voted against it. The Democratic counterproposal was also rejected in a 47-45 vote. These outcomes were expected, The GOP bill does not extend the ACA subsidies slated to expire Dec. 31, and Democratic leaders vowed to oppose any bill that doesn’t extend them.
What’s Left on Washington’s Agenda Before the Clock Runs Out?
Congress has been racing against the clock to check off as many items on its legislative to-do list as possible ahead of the August recess. Most notably, President Trump has led congressional Republicans in advancing a major budget reconciliation package, the One Big Beautiful Bill, which proposes sweeping changes to tax policy, healthcare, energy production, immigration enforcement, and national defense.
House Rescission Package Deep-Dive
A rescission package refers to a proposal by the President to cancel or amend previously approved government spending, often targeting specific programs already set in place. In simple terms, it is the President’s way to propose budget cuts on a national level. The process involves the President submitting their rescission package to Congress, who, in turn, have 45 days to approve, reject, or change the proposed package.
House vs. Senate: GOP Budget Battle Reveals Deep Divisions
The Republican Party’s struggle to advance its budget blueprint highlights deep divisions between House and Senate members. As House Republicans push the Senate to adopt their framework to expedite President Trump’s ambitious policy agenda, Senate Republicans are charting their own course.
Navigating the FY25 Funding Deadline, FY26 Negotiations, and the Budget Reconciliation Showdown
As the Trump Administration enters its second month, the federal budget process is emerging as one of the most closely watched political battlegrounds.
Budget Reconciliation 101
Budget Reconciliation was born out of The Congressional Budget Act of 1974, which established the congressional budget process for determining national priorities. Reconciliation is a fast-track budgetary mechanism that enables policy changes related to spending, revenues, and federal debt limits to be enacted into law.
Budget Reconciliation 101
A comprehensive overview of the budget reconciliation process as Republicans aim to use this legislative tool to advance their policy objectives.
A Sprint Through September, November, and the Final Days of the 118th Congress
As Congress returns from its August recess, the legislative agenda for September and the final stretch of 2024 looks especially packed and contentious.
FY 2024 Appropriations Concludes; Government Funded Through September
At the end of the week, Congress passed a sweeping $1.2 trillion spending package, steering the United States government clear of a looming partial shutdown. The passage of this budget agreement not only underscores the complexities of contemporary American politics but also signals significant repercussions within the political landscape, particularly within the House of Representatives.
Fiscal Cliffhangers: The Battle Over FY2024 Spending and the Road to FY2025
Congress is yet again staring down the barrel of a government shutdown. With the upcoming deadlines to pass the necessary appropriations bills or a new Continuing Resolution looming, Congress must also contend with the approaching FY2025 appropriations process. Here is a look at where FY2024 appropriations stand and what it means for the next fiscal year.
Congress Passes Yet Another Stopgap Spending Bill
In a 314 to 108 vote on January 18, 2024,, the House of Representatives passed another stopgap spending bill sending it to President Biden’s desk and averting a government shutdown.