Congress Works on Spending Bills and ACA Subsidies
Congress returned from recess and began work on extending Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies and the nine appropriations bills funded under a continuing resolution (CR) expiring Jan. 30, 2026. Three appropriations bills were enacted in November: Agriculture, Military Construction-VA and Legislative Branch.
The House passed legislation on Jan. 8, 2026, to extend ACA premium tax credits for three years, with 17 Republicans joining Democrats, following the Dec. 31, 2025, expiration of the enhanced subsidies. Senate action is uncertain, though bipartisan talks continue on a shorter extension with added safeguards. The House also passed a bipartisan minibus funding Commerce-Justice-Science, Energy-Water and Interior-EPA on Jan. 8, 2026; the Senate is expected to consider that minibus package this week.
Six FY26 bills remain, including Labor-HHS. Negotiations continue on additional minibuses, though unresolved issues could result in some bills being funded through a longer-term CR. Read more
here.