Spending Bills 2-1-26

As of late January 2026, the U.S. House has passed its final batch of spending bills for the 2026 fiscal year, setting up a showdown in the Senate to prevent a partial government shutdown before the January 30, 2026 deadline.  

Here is the status of the legislation as of January 26, 2026:

House Action: On January 22, 2026, the House approved the final four of 12 annual appropriations bills (including Defense, Labor-HHS-Education, Transportation-HUD, and a contentious Homeland Security bill). This completed the House's work on all 12 fiscal 2026 spending measures.

Senate Status: The Senate is scheduled to return to vote on these remaining bills in a $1.2 trillion package before the January 30 deadline.

Outcome: If the Senate passes this package, funding for the remainder of the fiscal year (through September 30, 2026) will be set. If not, a partial government shutdown will occur after Jan 30.

Feb 2026 Schedule: The Senate has tentatively scheduled a "State Work Period" for Feb 16-20, 2026. 

The focus immediately after 2-1-26 will be on whether the Senate finalized the appropriations package, or if they must pass another stopgap measure to avoid a shutdown. 

As of January 27, 2026, the U.S. House and Senate have not finished all bills to vote on after February 1, 2026. While they are completing the 2026 fiscal year appropriations, the legislative calendar for the remainder of the year is already set. 

Status of Major Pending Legislation

FY 2026 Spending Bills: The House passed the final batch of spending bills on January 22, 2026. The Senate is currently working to approve these before the January 30 deadline to avoid a government shutdown.

Health Care Legislation: A bipartisan health care package including crackdowns on pharmacy benefit managers and funding for community health centers is also in progress.

Executive Nominations: The Senate Executive Calendar still contains numerous pending judicial and administrative nominations reported as recently as mid-January. 

Upcoming Legislative Deadlines & Events (Post 2-1-26)

FY 2027 Budget Request: The President is expected to release the fiscal year 2027 budget request in early February 2026, initiating a new cycle of committee hearings and voting.

Budget Resolution Deadline: Congress has a statutory deadline of April 15, 2026, to pass a budget resolution for the next cycle.

Mid-Cycle Redistricting: Several states are engaged in legal or legislative efforts to redraw congressional maps before the November 2026 midterm elections, which may require federal legislative or oversight responses. 

2026 Session Schedules

The House and Senate released their 2026 calendars in late 2025, confirming they will remain in session through most of the year: 

Senate: Scheduled to remain in session until December 18, 2026.

House: Scheduled to depart for the year on December 17, 2026.

Recesses: Both chambers have scheduled recesses for late March/early April (Passover/Easter), August, and nearly all of October leading up to the November 3 election. 

https://www.google.com/search?q=has+the+us+house+and+senate+finished+bills+to+vote+on+after+2-1-26

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader

Senate Needs 60 Votes 2-1-26

Yes, the Senate generally requires 60 votes to advance legislation, including government funding bills (appropriations) needed to avoid a shutdown. This 60-vote threshold is required to invoke "cloture" and end debate, overcoming a filibuster by the minority party. With a 53-47 Republican majority in early 2026, GOP leaders need at least seven Democrats to meet the 60-vote requirement to pass funding measures and prevent shutdowns.  

Key Details on the 60-Vote Rule:

Filibuster Impact: Most legislation requires 60 votes to overcome a filibuster, a, U.S. Senate (.gov) notes.

Stopgap Measures: A 60-vote threshold is required to pass funding, such as a Continuing Resolution (CR).

Current Shutdown Threats: In January 2026, legislation to fund the government was stalled, with the need for Democratic support to cross the 60-vote threshold.

Exceptions: Budget reconciliation bills can pass with a simple majority (51 votes), but this is not typically used for regular, temporary funding bills to avoid a shutdown. 

While some have called to eliminate the filibuster to end shutdowns, it remains a standard procedural requirement for passing spending bills in the Senate. 

Yes, as of January 2026, the Senate still requires 60 votes to advance most government funding legislation and avoid a shutdown. 

While the final passage of a bill only requires a simple majority (51 votes), the Senate's filibuster rules mean that any single senator can block a vote by extending debate. To end this debate—a process called "cloture"—the Senate must reach a 60-vote threshold. 

Current Situation (January 2026)

The Math: Republicans currently hold a 53–47 majority in the Senate. Because they are short of the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster, they must secure support from at least seven Democrats to advance funding bills.

The Conflict: Senate Democrats are currently threatening to block a major funding package due to disputes over Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE funding following recent incidents in Minnesota.

The Deadline: A partial government shutdown is looming for January 30, 2026, if the Senate cannot reach this 60-vote threshold to move the legislation forward. 

Rare Exceptions

There are certain legislative maneuvers, such as Budget Reconciliation, that allow some spending-related bills to pass with a simple 51-vote majority. However, these are typically restricted to one per year and are not currently being used for the immediate January 2026 funding deadline. 

https://www.google.com/search?q=does+the+senate+need+60+votes+to+avoid+a+shutdown

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader

Shutdown 2-1-26

To avoid a prolonged government shutdown after the January 30, 2026, funding deadline, Congress is expected to pass a short-term, two-week funding extension (continuing resolution) for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) while advancing a separate package to fund other agencies.  

Key actions expected to make the shutdown short:

Separating DHS Funding: Senate leaders and the White House reached a deal to separate the contentious Department of Homeland Security funding from the broader, mostly settled, spending bills.

Two-Week Extension: The agreement provides a two-week stopgap measure for DHS, giving lawmakers more time to negotiate over immigrant enforcement reforms.

Passing "Minibus" Packages: Congress aims to pass remaining "minibus" spending packages for other federal departments (such as Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services) that have already gained broader agreement.

Potential Weekend Deal: Despite the threat of a shutdown on Saturday, January 31, 2026, negotiations are focused on ensuring a quick resolution, with leaders aiming to avoid the 43-day shutdown that occurred in late 2025. 

The impasse was driven by Democratic demands to restrict Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after federal agents killed protesters in Minnesota, leading to a standoff with Republicans. 

To avoid a significant funding lapse on January 31, 2026, Congress has reached a tentative deal to separate contentious issues from the broader budget to ensure a "short" or partial shutdown, if one occurs at all. 

Lawmakers are currently focused on these specific strategies to minimize the disruption: 

Splitting the Funding Package: Senate leaders and the White House agreed to separate funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from a larger "minibus" of five other major spending bills. This allows the rest of the government (including Defense and State) to be funded through September.

Two-Week Stopgap for DHS: To address Democratic demands for ICE reforms following recent fatal shootings in Minneapolis, Congress plans to pass a two-week continuing resolution (CR) for DHS. This "punts" the conflict to February 13, giving negotiators more time to debate immigration policy without a total government collapse.

Senate Passing "Clean" Bills: The Senate is racing to advance the five non-DHS bills to the House. While a brief weekend lapse is likely because the House is currently in recess and not scheduled to return until Monday, February 2, passing these bills quickly would limit the shutdown's duration to just a few days.

Presidential Endorsement: President Trump has publicly endorsed the deal on social media, signaling to House Republicans that they should support the compromise to avoid the "dire" impacts of a long-term shutdown. 

Potential Impacts of a Short Lapse: Even a short shutdown over the weekend of January 31 could delay TSA operations, Medicare telehealth waivers, and pay for military troops if not resolved by early February. 

https://www.google.com/search?q=what+is+congress+expected+to+do+to+make+the+1-31-26+shutdown+short+google

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader

Kevin Warsh Fed Chair 2-1-26

Based on reports surrounding his potential nomination by Donald Trump in January 2026, Kevin Warsh would likely reform the Federal Reserve by pushing for a "regime change" in policy, focusing on smaller balance sheets, lower interest rates, and closer coordination with the Treasury Department. He has criticized the Fed under Jerome Powell for missing the inflation surge and for allowing the institution to expand its mandate into non-monetary areas like climate change and diversity.  

Here is how Kevin Warsh would likely reform the Fed:

1. Drastic Reduction of the Balance Sheet 

Shrinking Footprint: Warsh has long argued that the Fed should maintain a small balance sheet and has been a critic of "quantitative easing" (bond-buying programs).

Accelerated QT: He supports reducing the Fed's holdings of government bonds and mortgage-backed securities to reduce the central bank's footprint in financial markets.

Theory: Warsh believes that shrinking the balance sheet (reducing the "printing presses") would allow the Fed to maintain lower, more stable interest rates without triggering high inflation. 

2. Lower Interest Rates 

Supporting Growth: Contrary to his earlier, more hawkish reputation, Warsh has recently argued in favor of lower interest rates to boost economic growth.

Alignment with Trump: This stance aligns with the Trump administration's goal of significantly reducing borrowing costs to stimulate the economy. 

3. Closer Coordination with the Treasury (New Accord) 

Revamping the 1951 Accord: Warsh has called for a new "Treasury-Federal Reserve Accord" to better align monetary policy with fiscal policy.

Coordinated Strategy: He advocates for the Fed Chair and the Treasury Secretary to work more closely to manage the balance sheet and the national debt. 

4. Narrowing the Fed's Mandate

Focus on Core Mission: Warsh has argued that the Fed has strayed from its core mandate of price stability.

Ending "Mission Creep": He has criticized the Fed under Powell for engaging in social and environmental issues—such as climate change and diversity, equity, and inclusion—arguing these are outside the Fed's purview. 

5. Increased Accountability and "Regime Change"

Critique of Competence: Warsh has stated that the Fed's policy "has been broken for quite a long time" and that the current Fed holds a "credibility deficit".

Downsizing Staff: He is likely to support reducing the staff and size of the Federal Reserve. 

Context on "Independence": While Warsh has historically called the Fed's independence "precious" and "essential," he has also suggested that it should not operate completely autonomously and has criticized the current Fed for using its independence as a "shield" against accountability. His approach would likely represent a major shift toward closer alignment with the executive branch's economic goals. 

Kevin Warsh's proposed reforms for the Federal Reserve focus on a "regime change" in monetary policy that emphasizes a smaller balance sheet, clear exit rules for emergency actions, and a return to the Fed's core mandate of price stability. He argues that these changes would allow for lower interest rates and restore the central bank's credibility and independence. 

Key Reforms and Proposals

Shrink the Balance Sheet: Warsh is a staunch critic of the Fed's expanded balance sheet (quantitative easing, or QE) and advocates for significantly reducing its size through quantitative tightening (QT). He argues that this would give the Fed more flexibility to manage short-term interest rates.

Lower Interest Rates: He believes that by controlling inflation through balance sheet reduction, the Fed could ultimately achieve sustainably lower interest rates to support the real economy, including households and small businesses.

Restore the Core Mandate: Warsh criticizes the Fed for "institutional drift" into areas outside its purview, such as climate change and diversity initiatives, arguing this jeopardizes its operational independence. He stresses a return to the statutory goals of stable prices and full employment.

New Treasury-Fed Accord: He has called for a revamp of the 1951 Treasury-Fed Accord to ensure closer coordination between the two bodies on managing the size of the Fed's balance sheet and government debt issuance.

Enhance Accountability and Transparency: While advocating for operational independence in monetary policy, Warsh also calls for greater accountability, suggesting that current "forward guidance" has little role in normal times and that the Fed needs to be more direct about its policy choices.

Embrace Productivity Gains: He is a proponent of the disinflationary potential of technology like artificial intelligence, suggesting that productivity improvements should be a key consideration in policy setting and could lead to higher real wages.

Market Discipline: Warsh believes in resurrecting market discipline in prudential supervision, arguing for a system where even large, insolvent firms can fail to avoid creating moral hazard and ensuring market signals are not distorted by the expectation of government bailouts. 

https://www.google.com/search?q=how+would+kevin+warsh+reform+the+fed+google

Comments

Interest Rates will be reduced including interest on the Federal Debt and Home mortgage rates.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader

Virginia Redistricting Failed 2-1-26

As of January 27, 2026, a Virginia circuit court judge has blocked the Democratic-led legislature’s attempt to redraw the state's congressional maps for the 2026 midterm elections, ruling the process they used was invalid and illegal.  

Here are the key details regarding the status of this effort:

Court Ruling: Tazewell Circuit Court Judge Jack Hurley Jr. ruled that the proposed constitutional amendment to re-map the state was "invalid and void," citing violations of procedure and failure to follow state laws regarding the timing of such amendments.

Failed Procedures: The judge highlighted that lawmakers failed to properly publish the amendment three months before the last election and failed to adhere to their own rules for bringing the amendment forward during a special session.

Democratic Appeal: Despite the ruling, Democratic leadership in the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates immediately pledged to appeal the decision, aiming to keep the effort alive.

Impact on 2026: The initiative was designed to change the current 6-5 Democratic-held congressional map to a more favorable "10-1" map to aid in holding the U.S. House in 2026.

Other Context: This battle is part of a broader, national, mid-decade redistricting conflict occurring in several states, including Texas and Maryland. Therefore, while the effort has experienced a major legal setback as of late January 2026, it is not definitively over due to the expected appeal process. 

On January 27, 2026, a Virginia circuit court judge delivered a significant blow to Democratic redistricting efforts by ruling that the proposed constitutional amendment to redraw congressional maps was invalid and void. 

Status of the Redistricting Effort

Court Ruling: Tazewell Circuit Court Judge Jack Hurley Jr. struck down the Democratic-led General Assembly's actions, citing multiple legal and procedural failures.

Key Failures Cited:

Rule Violations: Lawmakers failed to follow their own internal rules for adding a redistricting amendment during a special session.

Timing Issues: The amendment was not approved before the public began voting in the 2025 general election.

Publication Requirements: The state failed to publish the amendment three months prior to the election, as required by law.

Planned Appeal: Democratic leadership immediately pledged to appeal the ruling, expressing their intent to continue moving forward with a planned referendum this spring. 

Background & Impact

Political Goal: Democrats aimed to redraw maps mid-decade to potentially pick up as many as four seats in the 2026 midterm elections, countering similar mid-decade efforts by Republicans in states like Texas and North Carolina.

Current Representation: Virginia is currently represented by six Democrats and five Republicans under maps originally imposed by a court after a bipartisan commission reached a deadlock following the 2020 census.

Amendment Process: To successfully redraw these lines, Virginia law requires passing a resolution in two separate legislative sessions with a state election in between, followed by a successful voter referendum. 

https://www.google.com/search?q=has+the+democrat+redistricting+in+virginia+failed+2026

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader