Daily Digests: M 12/1 • T 12/2 • W 12/3 • Th 12/4 • F 12/5
Senate — Votes — Legislation: New: 115 (D, R), Action: 12, Voted: 3, Passed: 8
M 12/1/2025 — Prayer, Digest, Record All–SLR, PDF • Chronicle • Summary
T 12/2/2025 — Prayer, Digest, Record All–SLR, PDF • Chronicle • Summary
W 12/3/2025 — Prayer, Digest, Record All–SLR, PDF • Chronicle • Summary
Th 12/4/2025 — Prayer, Digest, Record All–SLR, PDF • Chronicle • Summary
House — Votes — Legislation: New: 189 (R, D), Scheduled, Voted: 8, Passed: 28
M 12/1/2025 — Prayer, Digest, Record All PDF, Extensions All PDF • Activity, Votes
T 12/2/2025 — Prayer, Digest, Record All PDF, Extensions All PDF • Activity, Votes
W 12/3/2025 — Prayer, Digest, Record All PDF, Extensions All PDF • Activity, Votes
Th 12/4/2025 — Prayer, Digest, Record All PDF, Extensions All PDF • Activity, Votes
The prayer was offered by the Guest Chaplain, Dr. Yancey C. Arrington, Clear Creek Community Church, League City, Texas, brother of Rep. Arrington.
F 12/5/2025 — Prayer, Digest, Record All PDF, Extensions All PDF • Activity, Votes
Leader’s Lookout, Recap: Week of December 1, 2025
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Military — Committees: Senate, House
Florida Republican on Venezuela: US needs to 'go in' • Mullin says Trump will not send troops to Venezuela • Kaine plans to move war powers resolution 'immediately should there be any military action' in Venezuela
Mullin: 'Why do we care' if U.S. takes out alleged narco-terrorists? • Hegseth stands by 'American hero' admiral who issued second boat strike order • Takeaways: Hegseth doubles down on drug boat strikes during Cabinet meeting • Hegseth defends boat strikes: 'Deterrence has to matter': Under Hegseth's leadership, the Department of War has conducted a number of missile strikes on myriad watercraft. • In classified memo, DOJ determined drug boat strikes are legal under U.S., international law: The U.S. military has conducted 19 strikes on alleged drug traffickers since the opinion was authored. • Johnson raises Obama drone strikes in response to Hegseth controversy • White House says special ops commander approved second strike on Venezuelan drug boat survivors: Leavitt's identification of the commander responsible for the strike places some distance between Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the controversy. • Navy commander briefs Congress on boat strike that targeted survivors: 5 takeaways 1. Bradley denies Hegseth gave ‘kill everybody’ order. 2. Cotton comes out in defense of operation. 3. Democrats disturbed by video of second strike. 4. Survivors tried to flip boat, Cotton says. 5. Questions over Hegseth’s whereabouts. • Wicker on IG report: Secretary Hegseth “acted within his authority” and “senior leaders need more tools available to them to communicated classified information in real time”
Debate over AI regulations heats up over whether to allow state regulations: While Trump admin and some congressional Republicans like Sen. Ted Cruz are pushing for a federal moratorium on state AI regulations, most other members of Congress are calling for a more prudential approach. • AI showdown in high-stakes NDAA talks: Lawmakers are wrestling over whether to halt state AI regulations and other thorny AI provisions in final negotiations over the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), one of the heaviest legislative lifts in any congressional year. • Attorneys general call on Congress to reject ban on state AI laws • AI Regulation Moratorium Fails to Pass Senate NDAA: A coalition of Republicans has succeeded in axing a legislative provision that would have barred states from regulating artificial intelligence. • Hawley applauds
Stefanik gets intelligence provision after call with Trump, Johnson requiring congressional notification of counterintelligence investigations into Federal candidates • Trump brokers deal between Stefanik, Johnson over FBI surveillance of politicians
Foreign Policy — Committees: Senate, House
Graham celebrates Trump admin moves to end ‘madness in Venezuela’
Ukraine says it has agreed to 'core terms' of US peace deal proposal: "Our delegations reached a common understanding on the core terms of the agreement discussed in Geneva," said Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council secretary, Rustem Umerov • 'Defining Moment:' How Trump broke down walls to get Ukraine and Russia to a peace framework: For the first time, Kiev and Moscow articulated specific visions this week for a peace deal. And while they remain apart on big issues like land borders and NATO membership, the two sides have a meaningful framework that eluded past negotiations and presidents. • lawmakers have misgivings • McConnell warns ‘appeasing’ Russia won’t bring peace
House negotiating on Russia sanctions and tariff powers
Thune blocks Johnson’s request to advance Georgia sanctions bill: Thune had earlier blocked Megobari’s inclusion in the NDAA at the request of Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) who argued for using carrots with Tbilisi instead of the stick of sanctions.
‘We Must Act Quickly’: Hill Leaders Push for Immediate Action on Nigeria: On Tuesday, the House Appropriations Committee hosted a joint briefing to investigate the slaughter of Christians in Nigeria with Republicans, Democrats, and experts like former Congresswoman and U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Chair Vicky Hartzler.
Texas lawmaker calls on Trump to get Texan released from Mexican prison: Texas state Rep. Jay Dean, R-Longview, is calling on President Donald Trump, Gov. Greg Abbott, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn and others to demand that Mexican authorities release an East Texan languishing in a Mexican prison.
Months after Trump admin said Mexico was complying with water treaty, it isn't: Gov. Greg Abbott Friday again demanded that Mexican authorities fulfill their treaty obligation and pointed to a potential solution proposed by Texas U.S. senators.
Constitution
America Is Still Worth Giving Thanks For: Four Foundational Reasons to Give Thanks
I Escaped Communist Romania. I Recognize The Early Signs Of Religious Persecution: The government sought to control every thought, every word, every breath.
Texas governor, members of Congress lead effort to ban Sharia law in US: Gov. Greg Abbott issued three directives targeting Islamic groups, first designating the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on Islamic American Relations (CAIR) as foreign terrorist organizations.
Fourth Amendment
House intel chief warns foreign actors are conspiring with Americans to ‘sow discord’ inside U.S.: “We need to know about it. We need to be in a position to intercept those kinds of things and protect our citizens here at home,” Rep. Rick Crawford says. “we have agencies that are really, really good at counter intelligence. They don't have the necessary law enforcement authority. But they're really good at exploiting networks and maybe even turning some assets, maybe doing some better work that helps protect Americans, American assets, military secrets, things of this nature. And that also gives us a better insight into how those nations are positioned here at home, and that might not necessarily end up in an arrest. It might help us to exploit an existing network and give us better insights.”
Homeland Security — Committees: House, Senate
Some Republicans in Congress Don’t Want Afghan Allies Shut Out: • Cornyn on Afghan shooter Lakanwal: He was not the recipient of any special immigrant visa process or processed through the overseas Afghan Special Immigrant Visa Program. He was later granted asylum after his parole period expired. ... He was paroled into the country, which means that the Biden administration simply allowed him into the country without any sort of background check or any sort of vetting. ...throughout the criminal investigation, the Department of Homeland Security continued to say that “no red flags were raised” during the parole vetting process. Well, of course not—if the parole vetting process is virtually nonexistent, how do you expect red flags to be raised?
Immigration
Gallego urges Trump administration to ramp up oversight of H-1B visas
Budget — Committees: House, Senate
Democrats oppose idea of a constitutional balanced budget amendment: In light of the nation’s $38 trillion national debt, U.S. House lawmakers met Wednesday to discuss ways to structure a constitutional amendment mandating that Congress pass deficit-neutral budgets.
Rep. Schweikert summarizing “Measuring What Matters: Why Italy May Be in Better Fiscal Shape than the US”: if we keep things the way they are—the current tax policy, spending policies, and pension policies—to cover Social Security, Medicare, military retirement, and Federal employee retirement, it will require 104 percent of the income of the next generation.
Tax Policy — Committees: House, Senate, Joint
Momentum builds for bigger capital gains tax break on home sales
Arizona congressman Hamadeh wants to end income tax on military's pay and retirement: Hamadeh said he promised voters that he would assist U.S. service members and military retirees.
Wisconsin lawmakers push for new nuclear plants incentivized by tax credits: One bill would create an energy tax credit for nuclear facilities that go online after 2030 and another would create up to five years of tax credit for construction materials to build a facility.
IRS issues guidelines on how taxpayers can claim deductions on tips, overtime in 2025: Budget reconciliation bill, which became law in July, created temporary tax deductions for tips and overtime compensation.
Federal Spending — Committees: House, Senate — FY 2026 bills, table
Senate Republicans pitch spending cuts in energy and water bill
Firefighting plan that tripped up spending package back on track (Interior bill)
States push back on exclusion of noncitizens from SNAP: Their letter asked for reconsideration of the USDA guidance, which would exclude noncitizens who are permanent residents from eligibility for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
Sen. Johnson: ‘We can’t afford’ $2,000 tariff checks
National Debt
Indiana state officials urge Trump, Congress to address national debt: The State Financial Officers Foundation letter noted that the cost of interest on the nation's debt is constraining spending on other programs.
Executive — Committees: House, Senate
Emails show Smith team made errors in drafting subpoena for Republican senators phone records in J6 case: More and more details continue to be revealed about Arctic Frost, Jack Smith, and the special counsel's pursuit of Trump and Republicans.
North Carolina senator lifts holds on DHS nominees after FEMA funds approved for his state
WH: Nominations Sent to the Senate
Judiciary — Committees: Senate, House
Religious liberty advocates push for Ten Commandments in schools: Legal battles over the display of the Ten Commandments in public schools continue with a new brief filed this week, backed by 46 members of Congress.
Commerce Policy — Committees: Senate, House
House Republicans are Unleashing Prosperity through Deregulation
Health Care Policy — Committee: Senate
Rep. Burlison: White House and Republicans can fix ACA, and soon: ACA completely changed the landscape of health insurance 15 years ago, many say for the worse, and this could be a winning issue to help House Republicans keep or expand their majority. • Trump's ACA tax credit extension proposal delayed after GOP pushback • Crunch time on health care Centrist Republican lawmakers facing tough midterm races are fighting to keep the subsidies in place, while other Republicans think the enhanced tax credits — approved by Democrats during the COVID-19 pandemic — should sunset on Jan. 1, as scheduled. • Stronger pro-life provisions as part of any extension of enhanced ACA subsidies are a sticking point: At issue is whether federally funded plans can cover abortion procedures and pills.
ACA marketplace allowed fake enrollees, possible fraud, GAO says • $94 million paid to insurers for deceased people: "While Obamacare fraud is being confirmed by GAO, CMS, CBO and other outside reports, patients are suffering," House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith said
Thune on ACA reform: The Democrat leader implied Republicans are not interested in lowering healthcare costs and that somehow they are. The contrary is actually the truth. • There are what are called zero-dollar policies or zero-dollar premiums. In other words, there are people out there who pay nothing for coverage. Their coverage is entirely covered by the Federal Government through the subsidy. Well, what that has done and because of the way the program is structured—they structured it—is to provide the subsidies directly to insurance companies. This is called, falsely, a premium tax credit. It is not a tax credit. A tax credit would be something that would lower tax liability dollar for dollar when you file your income taxes. This is a subsidy, a direct subsidy. So you have literally millions of people—millions of people—who have no idea they are covered because they aren't paying anything for it, and the insurance companies are getting the payment. So the insurance companies are incentivized to go out and autoenroll all these people across the country. So what you have today are literally millions of people of the 23 to 24 million people who get their coverage in the exchanges—millions of those have no idea that they are even covered because the insurance company is getting the subsidy, autoenrolling them, which might explain why last year 40 percent of the people who get their insurance coverage through the exchanges didn't file a claim.
Health Care Stalemate Underscores A New Reality in Congress: Bipartisan Deals Are Getting Harder • Editor's note: This may be because the directions in which people want to take the country are becoming increasingly different.
Science/Technology Policy — Committee: House, Senate
House online safety bills take narrower approach than Senate
Congress — Committees: House, Senate
What Lawmakers Are Grateful For This Thanksgiving
2025 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree
Bessent joins Trump push to end filibuster
Discharge Petitions Are Surging
Smucker enters Budget Committee race as odds-on favorite • brings focus on fiscal discipline to House Budget chair bid
Senators facing security threats: Slotkin, Kelly, Schumer
House to boost member security program, launch mobile duress app • House Democrats lobbying Republicans to increase personal security funding
Suspect arrested over Jan. 6 pipe bombs on Capitol Hill • Speaker Johnson Statement
Johnson on life amid Speakership: ‘We’re kind of in survival mode right now’
'A peacekeeper': Capito honors memory of Sarah Beckstrom after National Guard shooting
Booker marries Alexis Lewis in separate New Jersey, D.C. ceremonies
Trump announces pardon for Rep. Henry Cuellar, after bribery indictment, money laundering charges: "Sleepy Joe went after the Congressman, and even the Congressman’s wonderful wife, Imelda, simply for speaking the TRUTH," President Trump said, defends pardon • Jeffries backs Trump’s pardon • Cuellar: Biden-era DOJ 'absolutely' targeted me
Grijalva says ‘very aggressive’ ICE agent pepper-sprayed her during Tuscon raid • DHS pushes back on new Dem Rep's claim of being pepper-sprayed in Tucson raid: McLaughlin confirmed the raid but denied that Grijalva was directly sprayed, highlighting that the Arizonan would be a “medical marvel” if her claims were true.
Pentagon launches review of 'serious allegations of misconduct' against Mark Kelly, for urging troops to defy 'illegal orders': "All servicemembers are reminded that they have a legal obligation under the UCMJ to obey lawful orders and that orders are presumed to be lawful," the DOD said • Kelly to Hegseth: Pentagon investigation over ‘illegal orders’ won’t ‘intimidate me’
Swalwell files suit to block criminal referral on alleged mortgage violations
Luna files discharge petition in push to ban member stock trading, force vote • Stefanik signs • 90 ex-House members call for stock trading ban
Catherine Szpindor to step down as House CAO at end of year
Retiring: Nehls (his twin is seeking the seat) • Doggett
Wave of congressional retirements: More Republicans than Democrats are leaving the House
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Committee Activity — Meetings: 43 • Reports: 3 • Legislative action this week:
All committee legislative action • Senate (Subcommittees) • House (Subcommittees)
NASA nominee denies conflict of interest with Musk, declines to say if Musk was in room when Trump offered job (Meeting, Congress.gov)
Kiss's Gene Simmons to testify on American Music Fairness Act (Meeting, Congress.gov) before a Senate subcommittee: The bill aims to require AM/FM radio to pay performers to play their music, similar to what other streaming platforms do.
House Committee Preview, Recap – Week of December 1, 2025
House panel approves broadband permitting overhaul (H.R. 1681 – Meeting, Docs, Congress.gov)
House committee seeks 'full accounting' of boat strike after WaPo 'kill everybody’ report • Admiral Denies ‘Kill All’ Order: Testifying before Congress on Thursday, Navy Adm. Frank M. Bradley flatly denied that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth issued a “kill all” order for strikes on a vessel carrying alleged drug-smuggling Venezuelan narco-terrorists in the Caribbean in early September, pushing back against accusations of war crimes.
GOP urges lowering of tone in hearing over assaults on officers (Meeting, Docs, Congress.gov) • House Homeland Republicans warn of increased threats to law enforcement over dangerous rhetoric: Chairman Andrew Garbarino highlighted the impact of anti-law enforcement sentiment on operational effectiveness and promised to provide law enforcement officers with the resources and support they need.
House Judiciary panel holds hearing on balanced budget amendment (Meeting, Docs, Congress.gov)
Jim Jordan requests records related to Biden DOJ's ties to SPLC: The federal government, including the FBI, previously used the SPLC as a source for defining and tracking extremist groups, and the SPLC has garnered a reputation for criticizing conservative groups in recent years.
House Judiciary Republicans request FBI data on alleged cartel activity on tribal lands: The letter is part of the committee's probe on the Biden administration’s open-borders policies, including how the open border policies impacted crime rates in Native American territory.
House Judiciary subpoenas Jack Smith for deposition: Jordan is leading one of several GOP probes into alleged political weaponization of the government under the Biden administration. • Jack Smith to sit for House Judiciary deposition on Dec. 17
Floor Outlook
A Weary Congress Stares Down a Whirlwind December Sprint
Senate
Schumer announces three-year extension plan for ACA enhanced subsidies • Senate vote next week • Barrasso on Schumer plan: “Mr. President, you just heard the minority leader. He came to the floor, and he said that the Democrats want a 3-year extension—3 full years—for Biden's COVID bonus payments with absolutely no change to the law; not a single reform to deal with the waste, the fraud, the abuse, and the corruption of these payments from ObamaCare, not a single one. They want to send billions of dollars—actually, it is likely to be $100 billion—directly from the U.S. Treasury to insurance companies. Insurance companies are highly profitable, and that is their position: just send more U.S. dollars to insurance companies, just do a direct transfer of money. Should I remind him--does he need to be reminded that the COVID problems are over? But they want to send another $100 billion of Biden COVID bonus payments directly to insurance companies.”
House of Representatives — Rules Committee: Legislation
House Republican leaders finalizing health bill for next week
Republican dissenters spark discharge petition clash with Johnson stock trading ban, Russian sanctions
CBO: Legislation considered under suspension of the Rules of the House of Representatives during the week of December 8, 2025: The Majority Leader of the House of Representatives announces bills that will be considered under suspension of the rules in that chamber. CBO estimates the effects of those bills on direct spending and revenues.
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3 p.m., Monday, December 8, 2025
Program for Monday: After the transaction of any morning business (not to extend beyond 5:30 p.m.), Senate to vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Robert P. Chamberlin, of Mississippi, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Mississippi.
Thursday, 12/6/2025, Senate began consideration of three nominations:
- Robert P. Chamberlin, of Mississippi, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Mississippi
- William J. Crain, of Louisiana, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana
- James D. Maxwell II, of Mississippi, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Mississippi
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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9
On Tuesday, the House will meet at noon for morning hour and 2:00 p.m. for legislative business. Votes will be postponed until 6:30 p.m.
Legislation Considered Under Suspension of the Rules
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10 AND THE BALANCE OF THE WEEK
On Wednesday and Thursday, the House will meet at 10:00 a.m. for morning hour and noon for legislative business. On Friday, the House will meet at 9:00 a.m. for legislative business. Last votes expected no later than 3:00 p.m.
Legislation Considered Pursuant to a Rule:
H.R. 3628 — State Planning for Reliability and Affordability Act (Sponsored by Rep. Evans (CO) / Energy and Commerce Committee )
H.R. 3638 — Electric Supply Chain Act (Sponsored by Rep. Latta / Energy and Commerce Committee )
H.R. 3898 — PERMIT (Promoting Efficient Review for Modern Infrastructure Today) Act (Sponsored by Rep. Collins / Transportation and Infrastructure Committee )
H.R. 3383 — INVEST (Increasing Investor Opportunities) Act (Sponsored by Rep. Wagner / Financial Services Committee)
H.R. 3668 — Improving Interagency Coordination for Pipeline Reviews Act (Sponsored by Rep. Hudson / Energy and Commerce Committee)
Additional legislative items are possible.
Complete list of Bills for the Week of December 8, 2025
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Senate Committee Meeting Schedules — Congress.gov: 21
Monday, December 8, 2025
Tuesday, December 9, 2025
Wednesday, December 10, 2025
Thursday, December 11, 2025
House Committee Meeting Schedules — Congress.gov: 25
Tuesday — December 9, 2025
Wednesday — December 10, 2025
Thursday — December 11, 2025
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