Congress returns to Venezuela clash, a shutdown deadline and a health care fight

Congress Faces Steep Agenda as Sessions End

A contentious start is in store for the newly returned Congress as lawmakers juggle a host of pressing issues. The ongoing power struggle between President Donald Trump and Congressional Democrats will continue to be a dominant force behind the scenes.

The biggest hurdle on the horizon appears to be government funding, which is set to expire at the end of January. While some Republicans have expressed skepticism that a shutdown can be avoided this time around, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has indicated that an impasse is unlikely. The stakes are high after last year's prolonged government shutdown, which was largely driven by disagreements over healthcare policy.

A separate but related issue is the future of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), as enhanced tax credits for millions of Americans began to expire in January. Democrats have made a strong push for an extension of the subsidies, with some lawmakers citing its impact on the upcoming midterm elections. However, Senate Republicans are largely opposed to the idea, and tensions remain high.

Meanwhile, the ongoing Venezuelan crisis will be a major point of contention. Trump's decision to launch strikes against Venezuela and claim the right to intervene in the country's affairs has been met with fierce criticism from many lawmakers. The issue is expected to simmer down until later this year, when Congress is likely to hold hearings on the matter.

In other news, a growing number of lawmakers are pushing for stricter regulations around stock trading by members of Congress and their spouses. The Restore Trust in Congress Act aims to ban such activities, with some arguing that it would help prevent conflicts of interest.

Lastly, lawmakers have yet to make significant progress on regulating artificial intelligence and protecting children online. Despite mounting pressure from states and tech firms, Congress has failed to pass meaningful legislation on either front.

With all these pressing issues at play, it's clear that the incoming session will be a busy one for Capitol Hill.

can you believe this is what they gotta deal with? like, government funding, ACA, Venezuela... it's all just too much. and now they're trying to regulate AI and online safety... it's like, how do you even prioritize all these things? I feel for the lawmakers, they gotta navigate all these heavy issues and make decisions that affect millions of people. And the fact that some are still opposed to extending ACA subsidies is just... I mean, come on, healthcare is a basic human right, right?

So I'm wondering how many people think the government funding shutdown is going to happen? Like, is it really gonna get avoided this time around or are we in for another 3-day drama?

And have you guys been following the whole ACA thing? I feel like some lawmakers are super passionate about keeping those tax credits extended. What's your take on that?

Also, what do you think about Trump's moves on Venezuela? Should Congress just sit back and let him handle it or should they be taking a more active role in the situation?

Oh, and one more thing - have you heard of the Restore Trust in Congress Act? It's aimed at banning stock trading by lawmakers and their spouses. Do you think that's a good idea or just another attempt to "fix" Congress?

Lastly, how concerned are you about artificial intelligence and kids online safety? Do we need stricter regulations on these issues ASAP or is it more of a slow-burning problem?

I'm not sure about this whole government funding thing... I mean, I get why they need to do something, but last year's shutdown was pretty chaotic. I think Schumer's right that an impasse is unlikely, but we'll see how it plays out. And those ACA subsidies? I feel for the people who are losing 'em, but some of my liberal friends are getting a bit too worked up about this... Can't they just extend it for now and negotiate later?

And what's up with Trump's Venezuela move? I get that he wants to help, but launching strikes without consulting Congress is kinda reckless. I'm all for keeping the peace, but we need to do it right, not just wing it.

I love the idea of stricter stock trading rules, though. It would definitely prevent some conflicts of interest... But can they actually make it happen? And what about AI and online safety? We need to do better than just "aiming" for legislation that doesn't exist yet

So like, have you guys ever noticed how crazy things get when Congress is back in session? They gotta deal with so many hot potatoes - government funding, ACA subsidies, Venezuela... it's like they're juggling too many balls at once! Meanwhile, the AI and online safety stuff is just sitting there, collecting dust. Like, come on guys! Get it together! It's gonna be a wild ride this year for sure. And with the midterms coming up, you can bet they'll be pushing those ACA subsidies hard Can't wait to see how it all plays out!

this is gonna be a wild ride, you guys! Congrats to the lawmakers who are about to take on so many heavy lifting . Government funding and ACA subsidies expiring? That's like asking your bank account holder if they're gonna cover your credit card debt . And don't even get me started on Trump's Venezuela move - that's like saying "hey, can I just waltz in here and fix everything?" . As for the stock trading thing, I'm all for transparency, but let's be real, it's gonna be a tough sell . Last but not least, AI regulations? We're talking about the same lawmakers who are like "google me, I'll find you" when we need info . Anyway, can't wait to see what unfolds!

Man, I'm low-key hoping for a major mess this year . Like, can't we just have some drama and chaos in DC for once? It's been too quiet for my taste. The whole government funding thing is so overhyped, let's just raise the debt ceiling already . And don't even get me started on the ACA, I think it's a total failure . We need some good old-fashioned American ingenuity to fix our healthcare system, not more handouts and subsidies.

And what's with all this fuss about striking Venezuela? Like, let's just leave them alone and let Maduro do his thing . The only ones getting hurt are the poor Venezuelans, so maybe we should be focusing on helping them instead of trying to stage some fancy intervention .

I'm also totally against that Restore Trust in Congress Act . Like, come on, can't lawmakers just have a hobby or two outside of politics? It's not like they're getting paid enough to worry about their personal finances . And AI regulations? Please, let the tech firms handle it themselves .

omg can u believe how clueless some of these reps are about gov funding lol they're already talking about a shutdown?! like, come on guys didn't we just go through that last year and it was a total disaster? i mean, senate minority leader chuck schumer is literally trying to sugarcoat the situation but we all know he's not fooling anyone. btw, has anyone thought about how this affects people who rely on healthcare subsidies? like, what's gonna happen when those credits just disappear? anywayz, with all these drama-filled topics on the agenda, i'm low-key excited to see how it all plays out

So many big things happening in Washington right now . It feels like they're juggling way too much stuff - government funding, healthcare, AI regulation... I'm just worried they'll struggle to get anything done . The whole thing about the Affordable Care Act is interesting, though - it's clear that Democrats are really invested in keeping those subsidies going . And with Trump's actions on Venezuela, it's gonna be a wild ride . Can't help but wonder what'll happen when they start holding hearings on that one... Fingers crossed they can figure some stuff out without making things worse . One thing's for sure - it's gonna be an interesting few months !

man, can't believe we're already getting into this in janu government funding is gonna be a major headache, and i'm not sure which side is gonna blink first... like, trump's been pretty vocal about his stance on ACA extension, but schumer seems to think there's a way forward... anyway, feels like congress is just gonna have to suck it up and try to find common ground

Omg u guys! The new Cong has some major drama brewin ! Government funding is goin to expire & everyone's worried about a shutdown . And don't even get me started on the ACA, Dems are all like "extend these subsidies or else" while Reps are all "no way José" . And can we talk about Trump's whole Venezuela thing? Like, what is goin on w/ that dude? The new Cong has some serious work cut out for them . I'm just hopin' they can figure it all out & not make things worse .

So I'm thinking, have you noticed how divided the congress is getting? It's like they can't agree on anything and it's causing a lot of stress . On one hand, we got the government funding issue which is just basic stuff, but it's also tied to some bigger things like healthcare policy. And then there's the Affordable Care Act, which is a huge deal for millions of Americans. It's like they're playing with fire .

And don't even get me started on the Venezuelan crisis . I'm all for holding people in power accountable, but Trump's actions have been pretty aggressive. I feel like Congress needs to take a step back and think about their next move.

I also think it's interesting that there are more lawmakers pushing for stricter regulations around stock trading. It's like they're trying to restore some sense of integrity to the system . But at the same time, we still have these huge issues with AI and online safety that Congress hasn't addressed yet .

Anyway, I'm just hoping that Congress can manage their egos and work together for once . It's going to be a wild ride, that's for sure!

omg u guys can u believe this? congress is literally about to get slammed with so many problems first off they gotta deal with government funding or else there'll be a shutdown which sounds super scary but like, we've been here before right? and then theres the ACA aka obamacare and trump's all like "i'm not gonna save it" meanwhile democrats are all "no way dude you're gonna destroy healthcare" so yeah thats gonna be a wild ride and don't even get me started on venezuela which is just like, super messy right now but the real tea is that some lawmakers are trying to regulate stock trading which i lowkey approve of it's about time we clean up capitol hill tho

Ugh , can't believe the mess they're gonna try to clean up in this new session... Government funding is set to expire in Jan and people are still bickering over ACA subsidies . Venezuela's crisis is still a major problem but Trump's trying to just blow it off . And don't even get me started on Congress members trading stocks like they're on Wall St . Meanwhile, AI and kids' online safety? No progress at all . Just more of the same old drama...

I don’t usually comment but I have to say that this new year is looking super stressful already for lawmakers... the government shutdown thing has got me worried, I mean what if they can't agree on funding? And with all these other issues like AI and online safety, it's gonna be tough to get anything done. I think they need to focus on the ACA thing too, millions of Americans rely on those subsidies for healthcare... but at the same time, Senate Republicans are being super tough on it . I don't know if Trump's actions in Venezuela are a good idea either, it feels like they're just trying to insert themselves into other countries' business without thinking about the consequences

Ugh, can't believe we're already heading into another government shutdown drama #GovernmentShutdown #AgendaOverflowing. Congress is already dealing with so many pressing issues like the ACA renewal, Venezuela crisis, and AI regulations... how are they gonna get everything done on time? #CongressProbs. And can we please just talk about the stock trading by lawmakers thing... it's kinda shady #ConflictOfInterest. I hope they can find a way to regulate AI and online safety for kids ASAP, that's literally a matter of national security #FutureProofing. We need some real progress on these issues or else the people are gonna lose trust in our government #RestoreTheTrust.