Democrats poised to control House, outline legislative and oversight agenda
With a projected House majority, Democrats plan to restore health-care subsidies, reverse Medicaid cuts and launch investigations into the Trump administration and related matters.
Democrats are expected to assume control of the U.S. House of Representatives after the latest election projection, positioning Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to become the first Black Speaker when the new Congress convenes in January. Jeffries said the party will use its majority to reinstate expired Affordable Care Act premium subsidies and reverse nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts enacted under President Donald Trump’s Working Families Tax Cuts Act.
"Well, Day One plan is going to be to make sure we're going to be focused on healthcare, focused on driving down, right, the high price of groceries and gas and housing," Jeffries told ABC News' Capitol Hill correspondent Jay O'Brien.
House Democrats also intend to introduce legislation to end Trump-era global tariffs and restore congressional authority over trade policy. They have pledged to address what they describe as an "affordability crisis" by lowering costs for groceries, health care and gasoline, and to work toward ending the war in Iran.
On the oversight side, Democratic-led committees plan to launch multiple investigations into the Trump administration, including the handling of Epstein-related files, business dealings of Trump family members, and alleged corporate corruption. Rep. Robert Garcia, the presumptive chair of the House Oversight Committee, summed up the approach with a brief statement: "Lawyer up."
Garcia has indicated a desire for public hearings on the Epstein investigation and has signaled subpoenas for Attorney General Todd Blanche and other officials. The Judiciary Committee, led by Rep. Jamie Raskin, aims to examine Trump family businesses, alleged politicization of the DOJ and FBI, and pay-for-pardon allegations. The Armed Services Committee, chaired by Rep. Adam Smith, plans to scrutinize Pentagon actions, including the Iran war and recent boat-strike operations.
While impeachment has not been ruled out, Jeffries emphasized that the focus remains on addressing the affordability crisis, and Raskin described impeachment as a constitutional tool that would be considered only if its benefits outweigh the costs.