Tuesday, January 20th, 2026
War Powers in Venezuela: The Senate rejected a motion to proceed on S.J.Res.98 (50-50) that would have constrained President Donald Trump's war powers in Venezuela unless specifically authorized by Congress. The bill failed after pressure from the White House flipped two of the five Republicans who had aligned with Democrats to pass the measure.
ACA (Obamacare): The Senate rejected a motion to move forward with consideration of S.J.Res.84 (47-52), which would repeal a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) rule titled "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Marketplace Integrity and Affordability.” The rule was issued in 2025 to enhance ACA marketplace integrity, including stricter income verification, allowing insurers to deny coverage for unpaid premiums, and new rules for special enrollment periods.
Financial Services and National Security-State Appropriations: The House passed H.R.7006, which would provide $76 billion in appropriations for fiscal 2026. The bill aims to conserve spending, strengthen national security, reform agencies like the IRS, cut wasteful spending, bolster border security (especially against fentanyl), counter China, support key allies, cut Biden-era regulations, and enhance IRS taxpayer services, while also addressing cyber threats and promoting "Buy American" provisions.
Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations: The Senate passed H.R.6938 (80-13), which would fund the departments of Energy, Commerce, Interior and Justice, as well as water programs, the EPA and federal science initiatives through the end of the current fiscal year. The bill includes negotiated bipartisan agreements, which would provide a total of $174.65 billion in base discretionary spending. The bill previously passed in the House, so it now heads to President Trump, who is expected to sign it.
Protecting Prudent Investment of Retirement Savings: The House passed H.R.2988 (213-205), which would modify the requirements for fiduciaries of employer-sponsored retirement plans. The bill aims to codify that those managing other individuals’ retirement savings under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) must prioritize maximizing returns for a secure retirement, rather than prioritizing political or social impacts through the use of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors that may be considered risky.
Saving Homeowners from Overregulation: The House passed H.R.4593 (226-197), which aims to revise the definition of a "showerhead" in the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to align with the technical standards set by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
Remote Access Security: The House passed H.R.2683, which modernizes the Export Control Reform Act by expanding federal authority to restrict foreign adversaries’ ability to access technologies, including AI chips, remotely through cloud computing services. The bill aims to curb China's access to advanced AI chips by way of renting offshore data centers.
AGOA Extension: The House passed H.R.6500, which extends through December 31, 2028, trade preferences that provide duty-free access to the U.S. market for most exports from eligible countries in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The bill also extends through December 31, 2031, customs user fees and merchandise processing fees.
Haiti Economic Lift Program Extension: The House passed H.R.6504, which extends through December 31, 2028, the special duty-free rules for various apparel products imported from Haiti, including the duty-free treatment provided for a limited amount (referred to as tariff preference levels) of certain apparel products assembled in and imported from Haiti.
Flexibility for Workers Education: The House failed to pass H.R.2262 (209-215), which would modify the definition of hours worked under the Fair Labor Standards Act to exclude certain voluntary training that occurs outside an employee's regular working hours. Such training does not count as hours worked even if it is offered by the employer, provided that an employee's working conditions are not adversely affected by choosing not to participate and the employee does not perform any work for the employer during the training.
