Congress Returns to Washington Facing Venezuela Clash, Shutdown Deadline and Health Care Fight

WASHINGTON, D.C. — As lawmakers reconvened in the new year, the U.S. Congress confronted a jam-packed agenda that quickly put foreign policy, government funding and health care policy at the top of the legislative docket.

One of the first major issues facing members of both parties is a growing clash over the U.S. role in Venezuela, with some lawmakers pushing to reassert Congress’s constitutional authority over military operations after recent executive actions. Debate over how much oversight to demand — including whether to restrict or support continued U.S. involvement — is expected to heat up in the coming weeks.

Back home, Congress is racing against a looming Jan. 30 government funding deadline that threatens another shutdown unless lawmakers can pass a new series of spending bills. Republicans and Democrats remain deeply divided on the size and direction of federal spending, especially after a lengthy shutdown late last year, which left federal workers furloughed and stalled key services.

But just as urgent is the fight over health care — particularly over expiring Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) premium tax credits. With subsidies tied to lower costs for millions of Americans having lapsed soon after 2025 ended, lawmakers from both parties are under intense pressure to find a solution before open enrollment begins. Democrats have made restoring and expanding these credits a central priority, while many Republicans are pushing for alternative reforms.

In addition to the urgent fiscal fights, Congress also returns to action with other key policy battles on immigration, military oversight and a proposed ban on stock trading by members of Congress. How these initiatives fare will depend on whether lawmakers can find consensus on deeply divided priorities — all with midterm election campaigns already looming.

As the calendar flips to 2026, Washington’s legislative challenges reflect both ongoing partisan battles and the high stakes facing Americans on issues ranging from health care affordability to national security and government stability.