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LISA MASCARO and KEVIN FREKING.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill, Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)

House heading toward vote to extend health care subsidies in a rebuke of GOP leadership

January 8, 2026

The House is pushing toward a vote on renewing subsidies for Affordable Care Act plans. It’s a remarkable rebuke of House Speaker Mike Johnson, who tried to stop it. But renegade Republican lawmakers joined with Democrats on a so-called “discharge petition” to force action. The health care tax breaks have lowered health insurance costs for roughly 22 million people, but expired last month. The Congressional Budget Office said the proposed three-year extension would increase the nation’s deficit by about $80.6 billion over the decade, and increase the number of people with health insurance by millions. Members of the Senate are working on an alternative bill.

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FILE—House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., left, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speak to reporters at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025. The Democratic leaders are lashing out at a short-term spending GOP bill to avoid a partial government shutdown at the end of the month, warning Republicans they will not support a measure that doesn't address their concerns on the soaring cost of health insurance coverage for millions of Americans. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

Trump to meet with Schumer and Jeffries as government shutdown risk looms

September 22, 2025

President Donald Trump will meet with the Democratic leaders in Congress this week ahead of a looming risk of a federal government shutdown. That’s according to two people familiar with the situation but unauthorized to discuss it. The meeting is set for Thursday, one of the people said. Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries have been insisting on talks as the Democrats work to preserve health care programs as part of any deal to fund the government. They’re racing ahead of next week’s Oct. 1 deadline.

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President Donald Trump turns to depart after speaking with reporters on Air Force One while in flight from Joint Base Andrews, Md., to Amsterdam, Netherlands, Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

House shelves effort to impeach Trump over Iran strikes

June 24, 2025

The U.S. House has voted overwhelmingly to set aside an effort to impeach President Donald Trump over the military strikes in Iran. A lone Democrat, Rep. Al Green of Texas, had forced the sudden floor action on Tuesday. His resolution charged an abuse of power after Trump launched the military action on Iran’s nuclear facilities without first seeking authorization from Congress. It split his party. Most Democrats joined the Republican majority to table the measure, for now. But dozens of Democrats backed Green’s effort. The tally was 344-79.

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President Donald Trump boards Air Force One, Tuesday, June 24, 2025, at Joint Base Andrews, Md., on his way to The Hague, to join world leaders gathering in the Netherlands for a two-day NATO summit. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

What’s in and out of Trump’s big bill as Senate races to meet Fourth of July deadline

June 24, 2025

President Donald Trump says “NO ONE GOES ON VACATION” until the big, beautiful bill is on his desk by the Fourth of July deadline. And Republicans in Congress are staying put to get it done. The Senate is gearing up for weekend work while House Speaker Mike Johnson told lawmakers Tuesday to keep their schedules “flexible.” But Republicans who have majority control of the House and Senate are finding that their push to cut longtime Medicaid and SNAP food stamps is easier said than done. Not all GOP lawmakers are on board. And the Senate parliamentarian has advised that several proposals violate procedural rules.

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Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, arrives for a hearing with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on his budget requests for fiscal year 2026, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, June 12, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Senate Republicans seek tougher Medicaid cuts and lower SALT deduction in Trump’s big bill

June 16, 2025

Senate Republicans are proposing deeper Medicaid cuts, including new work requirements for parents of teens, as a way to offset the costs of making President Donald Trump’s tax breaks more permanent. They are keeping in place an existing $10,000 annual cap on state and local tax deductions known as SALT. But they boost a tax credit for some seniors to $6,000. The proposals unveiled Monday by Republicans for Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” provide the most comprehensive look yet at changes the GOP senators want to make to the package approved by House Republicans last month. Republican leaders are pushing to fast-track the package by Trump’s Fourth of July deadline.

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