As the U.S. Congress returns to The Capitol after a brief Thanksgiving break, our government still faces the same partisan division that caused the 43 day shutdown in October. House Speaker Mike Johnson says he would like to return to a “normal” congress, but his own refusal to reach across the aisle and compromise on major issues like the uncertain future of ObamaCare is a large cause of congressional unrest. 

While the Republican caucus still struggles to come to a uniform decision on affordability, Democrats appear more occupied with social media campaigns than taking action. Following a historic nation-wide sweep for Dems in the November primaries, it’s clear that now is the perfect time to begin policy pushes ahead of the 2026 midterms, which are predicted to be heavily left-leaning. 

Among the most prominent issues for all Americans is healthcare, including decisions to be made regarding the 2010 Affordable Care Act passed into law by President Obama. As implied by the name, this piece of legislation aims to make healthcare more affordable and accessible for Americans of all incomes, but its subsidies are running out, meaning that healthcare costs could soon skyrocket.

Overall, there is no shortage of action to be seen in Washington before the congressional winter break, and no doubt that even a new year won’t put an end to the plethora of issues on the table once Congress returns for the start of the 2026 session.