Washington: Democrats target healthcare and Iran war as new majority forms
With 250 seats in the House, the new leadership faces a 60-vote Senate threshold and a president who has already declared his intent to veto.
By Olivia Miller ·
250. That is the projected number of seats House Democrats will hold when the new Congress is sworn in on January 3, 2026. The margin of victory in the midterms provides a narrow but functional majority in a 435-member chamber, setting the stage for an immediate push on legislative priorities that have stalled for months.
Representative Hakeem Jeffries, who is in line to become the next House speaker, stated that the leadership intends to act quickly. "We're going to get out of the gate fast," Jeffries said. The initial slate of bills focuses on two major areas: expanding Medicaid coverage and restoring an enhanced tax subsidy for Affordable Care Act plans. These measures are designed to lower premiums for millions of enrollees who have faced rising costs since the expiration of previous subsidies.
Beyond healthcare, the Democratic agenda includes swift action on war powers legislation to end the conflict with Iran and to roll back specific trade tariffs implemented by President Donald Trump. These early votes are critical for the party as it attempts to translate its electoral win into tangible policy changes that address the cost of living.
The path from the House floor to the president's desk presents a distinct challenge. While passage in the House is expected given the majority, the Senate requires 60 votes to overcome a filibuster. Trump signaled his resistance to the new agenda on election night by posting a photo of a red hat with the single word "VETO" written on it.
The Medicaid bill aims to reverse cuts that Republicans approved as part of their tax and spending package last year. Those changes imposed new work requirements and administrative conditions, leading to a decline in enrollment. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, Medicaid enrollment dropped by approximately 5 million people, or 7%, since the bill was signed in July 2025. Reversing these cuts would require Trump and Senate Republicans to abandon provisions they fought hard to include in their signature legislation.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota has characterized the coming two years as a period of gridlock. "I don’t think that’s good for anybody," Thune said, describing a Democratic majority as "two years of paralysis." Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer of New York disagrees, arguing that the party will push its agenda regardless of the president's cooperation. Schumer told The New York Times' podcast that if Trump vetoes the bills, it will reveal the divisions within the government and demonstrate that Democrats are on the side of voters.
Schumer indicated that he is hearing from Republicans who may be willing to work with him on restoring ACA subsidies, though he noted they are not yet definitive. "They’re never so definitive but, yes, I am getting initial signs that way on certain issues, not on every issue," Schumer said.
Progressive lawmakers and external allies are urging the new leadership to go further. Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, suggested that Democrats may need to eliminate the filibuster to pass their top priorities. "It will require the Democrats to get rid of the filibuster," Green said. He noted that Republican priorities like tax cuts and court appointments can pass with a simple majority, while Democratic goals often require 60 votes.
Representative Greg Casar of Texas, writing in a memo to the Congressional Progressive Caucus, argued that Democrats must also target large corporations and billionaires. Casar pointed to issues such as data pricing and AI risks, stating that focusing on these areas will show the public the party is pro-worker and pro-consumer, not just anti-Trump.
The votes taken in the early months of the 120th Congress will also set the narrative for the 2028 presidential election. As five working groups finalize bills on housing, energy, groceries, and caregiving, the leadership faces the task of navigating a divided Senate and a veto-prone White House.
