At a Glance
- Only 3 of 12 appropriations bills have cleared the House, leaving 9 to pass before the Jan. 30 deadline.
- The House returns on Jan. 6, giving members just 12 legislative days to finish the work.
- A heated ACA subsidy debate and push for a congressional stock-trading ban add to the pressure.
- Why it matters: The House must act quickly to avoid another government shutdown.
The House is racing against time to pass the remaining appropriations bills before the Jan. 30 deadline, amid a heated ACA subsidy debate and a push for a congressional stock-trading ban. Only three of the twelve necessary bills have cleared the chamber, and any delay could trigger another shutdown.
Appropriations Deadline Looms
Only 3 of 12 appropriations bills have cleared the House, leaving 9 to pass before the Jan. 30 deadline or a stopgap will be needed. The House returns on Jan. 6, giving members just 12 legislative days to finish the work.
- House returns Jan. 6
- 12 legislative days to pass 9 bills
- Senate 15 days
- Potential CR if bills fail
Kevin Kiley said:
> “Congress is never especially good at, you know, getting these things done on time.”
> “It was especially problematic that the House wasn’t even here for two months, and you know, that’s time that we could have actually been working on the appropriations process in earnest to have bipartisan appropriations bills ready to go.”
ACA Subsidy Dispute
Affordable Care Act subsidies are set to expire at the end of the month, and four GOP lawmakers joined Democrats to advance a discharge petition for a three-year extension. The Senate is expected to amend the bill, forcing another round in the House.
- Four GOP lawmakers breaking ranks
- Discharge petition to bring extension bill to floor
- Senate likely to amend, sending back to House
Other Legislative Challenges
A push for a congressional stock-trading ban is expected to consume floor time, with Rep. Anna Paulina Luna leading a separate bipartisan proposal. House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole warned that the health-care debate could drag into January, complicating the schedule.
- Stock-trading ban bill
- Tom Cole’s agreement with Sen. Susan Collins
- Timelines and concerns
Tom Cole said:
> “It’s just mortifying that the Congress of the United States can’t get its work done in a year. … We had a very difficult schedule this year, but next year’s schedule – again, it’s the election. It’s going to make it tougher, and members are going to want to go home, and leadership on both sides is going to want to have them home.”
Juan Vargas said:
> “I think there should be – that’s my opinion, there should be.”
> “I mean, we can’t kick all of these people off of their health care plans because they can’t afford them. That’s outrageous.”
Ronny Jackson said:
> “I’m not worried about it.”
> “I think we’ll figure it out.”
Key Takeaways
- 9 appropriations bills still pending before Jan. 30
- ACA subsidy debate could derail funding
- Congressional stock-trading ban adds floor time pressure
With a tight schedule and contentious priorities, the House faces a high-stakes race to secure funding before the January deadline, while the ACA subsidy debate and other proposals threaten to derail progress.
