After 43 days, Congress passed a bill to reopen the government on November 10, 2025. That law included appropriations for three of the 12 annual spending bills. For the remaining nine, Congress issued a continuing resolution to maintain spending levels through January 30, giving lawmakers time to negotiate final details. What comes next?
The legislation left open a few major issues: healthcare, the president’s continued overreach when it comes to spending congressionally approved funds, and food benefits.
First, the bill did nothing to prevent the expiration of the Affordable Care Act’s enhanced premium tax credits. 20 million people across the country are facing higher costs as they struggle to afford health insurance. With recipients of the tax credit seeing their premiums rise by over $1,000 on average, too many individuals and families will decide that coverage is no longer in reach. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that 4 million people will lose insurance after the credits expire. Unless Congress acts soon, much of the historic gain in coverage generated by the Affordable Care Act will be erased.
Second, without stronger guardrails, the administration is likely to continue undoing Congress’ funding decisions. The president can propose recissions, or funding repeals, to Congress. Congress has the option to approve those cancellations with a simple majority vote (as opposed to the 60 votes required to pass most legislation in the Senate). The President issued two rescissions packages earlier in 2025, and each was implemented. Congress must reassert its power of the purse and ensure that appropriations reach their intended recipients.
Third, the “Big Beautiful Bill” enacted the largest cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in the program’s 60-year history. Among other cuts to SNAP, the law will require states to shoulder additional costs beginning in October 2026 and even more in October 2027. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, states that can’t take on this burden may reduce or eliminate benefits. That would have devastating consequences for the 40 million individuals—many of them children—who rely on SNAP to meet their basic nutritional needs.
As the shutdown tragically demonstrated, houses of worship, charities, and community organizations provide essential relief, but they cannot meet these needs themselves. FCNL urges Congress to act so that all Americans have access to the food they need to thrive.
Much is on the line as the second session of the 119th Congress begins. We can build a society where everyone thrives or we can take a grimmer path of scarcity. Your members of Congress need to hear from you.
