01.20.2026 - DC Download
The Senate is out on recess, but that doesn’t mean the Hill has come to a halt. The House continues work on spending legislation and high-profile hearings, including a Venezuela War Powers resolution and a markup to consider holding former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in contempt of Congress.
Read on for more.
Progressive Playbook
Join the Progressive Caucus Action Fund for Voting Rights on the Verge: What Weakened Federal Protections Mean for You, a briefing on the state of the Voting Rights Act on Wednesday, January 22 at 3PM. Register here!
This virtual briefing will bring together community advocates, legal experts, and policy leaders to discuss recent developments impacting voting rights, including the implications of the Louisiana v. Callais case before the Supreme Court. In the wake of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, we will reflect on the unfinished work of the Voting Rights Act and what recent attacks mean for the future of federal voting rights protections.
We hope you'll join us for this timely and important conversation. Please feel free to share this invitation with colleagues and partners who may be interested. Register here!
House
House Floor
The House will vote on eight suspension bills from the Committees on Small Business and Veterans´Affairs. Suspension bills require a ⅔ majority to pass. For a list of all suspension bills being considered, click here.
This week the House will also consider the following bills, subject to a rule:
H.R. 6945 – Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act (Sponsored by Rep. Fischbach / Ways and Means Committee) This bill authorizes TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) federal funding for organizations that advise women against getting an abortion.
H.R. 6359 – Pregnant Students’ Rights Act (Sponsored by Rep. Hinson / Education and Workforce Committee) This bill requires higher education institutions to inform pregnant students of rights and resources available to carry a baby to term.
H.J. Res. 140 – Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Land Management relating to Public Land Order No. 7917 for Withdrawal of Federal Lands; Cook, Lake, and Saint Louis Counties, MN.(Sponsored by Rep. Stauber / Natural Resources Committee) This resolution repeals a Biden administration rule that prevented mining leases in northern Minnesota for 20 years.
Legislation that may be considered:
H. Con. Res. 68 – To direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from Venezuela that have not been authorized by Congress. (Sponsored by Rep. McGovern / Foreign Affairs Committee) This resolution directs President Donald Trump to remove U.S. troops from Venezuela unless expressly authorized by Congress.
Legislation making appropriations for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026(Sponsored by Rep. Cole / Appropriations Committee)
House Committee Highlights
A full list of this week’s hearings and markups can be found here. Notable hearings and markups include:
Wednesday Hearings
Oversight of the Department of Homeland Security: CISA, TSA, S&T (Committee on Homeland Security)
When Public Funds Are Abused: Addressing Fraud and the Theft of Taxpayer Dollars (Committee on the Judiciary)
Oversight of the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Federal Housing Administration (Committee on Financial Services)
Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary, Scott Turner, will be testifying
Reverse the Curse: Skyrocketing Health Care Costs and America's Fiscal Future (Committee on the Budget)
America First: U.S. Leadership & National Security in International Conservation (Committee on Natural Resources)
Markup of two resolutions recommending that the House of Representatives find William J. Clinton and Hillary R. Clinton in contempt of Congress for refusal to comply with a subpoena (Oversight and Government Reform)
Thursday Hearings
Lowering Health Care Costs for All Americans: An Examination of Health Insurance Affordability (Committee on Energy and Commerce)
Smarter Borders, Safer Nation: Expanding the Use of Non-Intrusive Inspection Technology (Committee on Homeland Security)
Oversight of the Office of Special Counsel Jack Smith (Committee on the Judiciary)
Former Special Counsel Jack Smith is testifying
Advancing Peace in DRC and Rwanda through President Trump’s Washington Accords (Committee on Foreign Affairs)
Housing Affordability: Saving the American Dream (Committee on Oversight and Government Reform)
Full Committee Hearing with Health Insurance CEOs (Committee on Ways and Means)
ISSUES TO WATCH
Congress Closes in on a Spending Agreement
House and Senate negotiators have reached a bipartisan deal to fund the government for FY 2026 with just a few days to spare. The House plans to vote on the remaining funding bills—Defense, Labor-HHS-Education, Transportation-HUD, and Homeland Security (DHS)—this week to avoid a government shutdown before current funding expires on January 30. The House is slated to recess next week, when the Senate must approve the same package to avert a shutdown.
The deal cuts ICE’s enforcement and removal funding by $115 million. It also makes new investments in body cameras and de-escalation training, alongside new transparency requirements. Because the Homeland Security bill does not include more guardrails on ICE that Democrats sought, House leaders agreed to hold a separate vote on DHS to keep the larger deal on track even if Democrats defect on that measure. Even with a negotiated deal in hand, the final votes will be the real test—and could expose fractures among Democratic and Republican lawmakers over a bill that sits at the center of the immigration fight.
Congress clinches $1.2T funding deal for DHS, Pentagon, domestic agencies (Politico)
Appropriations Committees Release Three-Bill FY26 Funding Package: Labor, HHS, Education; Defense; Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (House Appropriations Committee)
What We’re Reading
Congress has long fought the Senate referee. Could AI change that? (Deseret)
Trump releases health policy outline (Politico)
Attacks on Somali Communities and Fraud Claims Fact Sheet (CLASP)
The US’s Nuclear Arms Treaty With Russia Is About to Lapse. What Happens Next? (The Nation)
The IPS Venezuela Reader–A One Stop Guide (IPS)
Want to Stop ICE? Go After Its Corporate Collaborators (The Nation)
The Civil Rights era is losing its grip on young Americans (Axios)
KEY DATES
January 30: Partial Government Funding Expires
January 19 – 23: Senate Recess
January 26 – 30: House Recess