House Democrats plan early votes on health care, Iran war and tariffs

As of 9:26 p.m. ET, Monday, Nov. 9, 2026

House Democratic leaders say their first votes after the new Congress is sworn in on Jan. 3 will focus on health care: boosting Medicaid and restoring an enhanced tax subsidy that lowers the cost of Affordable Care Act plans for millions of enrollees, The Associated Press reported.

Democrats are also promising quick action on legislation to stop the war with Iran and to reverse some of President Donald Trump's tariffs, according to the AP.

"We're going to get out of the gate fast," said Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the Democratic leader, whom the AP described as in line to become the next House speaker.

Obstacles in the Senate and the White House

Legislation would face a 60-vote threshold in the Senate and a possible presidential veto, the AP reported. On election night, Trump posted on his social media site a photo of a red hat bearing one word: "Veto," according to the AP.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said before the election that a Democratic majority in the next Congress would mean "two years of paralysis," the AP reported. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said his party would push its agenda regardless. "If he vetoes it, it will show the divisions," Schumer said on The New York Times' podcast "The Daily," as quoted by the AP. Schumer said he was seeing "initial signs" of Republican interest on some issues, including the ACA subsidies.

Medicaid and the ACA subsidies

Democrats want to reverse Medicaid changes that are expected to cut more than $900 billion from the program over a decade. The changes were part of Trump's tax and spending bill signed into law in July 2025 and added new administrative requirements and eligibility conditions, including work requirements, the AP reported.

Some of the largest changes have not yet taken effect. Medicaid enrollment has still fallen by about 5 million, or about 7%, since July 2025, according to the health policy organization KFF, as cited by the AP.

A measure to extend the enhanced ACA subsidies passed the House in the current Congress with some Republican support but stalled in the Senate. Congress has also held repeated war powers votes on Iran: 14 in the Senate and six in the House, the AP reported.

What comes next

After the first votes, Jeffries said, five working groups are developing bills aimed at lowering costs in areas such as housing, energy, groceries and caregiving. Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., said Democrats plan public hearings on artificial intelligence and "reasonable guardrails on AI, and specifically data centers," according to the AP.

Progressive groups want more. Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, told the AP that passing the party's priorities "will require the Democrats to get rid of the filibuster." Schumer would not say in an AP interview whether he would try to end it. "The focus has got to be on getting things done," he said.