Democrats vow quick fixes for healthcare and tariffs after winning Congress

Democratic leaders in the U.S. House and Senate will take control of both chambers following the midterm elections. Their immediate goal is to lower costs and address corruption, a message that drove their campaign strategy for over a year. The party now faces the task of uniting a diverse caucus to deliver on those promises.

In the first 100 hours of the new session, Democrats plan to restore enhanced Affordable Care Act health insurance subsidies. They also intend to reverse Medicaid cuts that were passed in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and are about to take effect. These two measures represent the core of their initial legislative agenda.

The party also aims to reassert congressional authority over tariffs. Democrats plan to force votes on war powers resolutions to end the conflict in Iran. These are priorities on which the caucus has near-total agreement, according to party officials.

President Trump has oscillated between threatening vetoes and expressing willingness to work with the new majority. Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic Senator-Elect from Michigan, said the party wants to pass legislation and leave the decision to the President. He believes many Republican senators will reconsider supporting Medicaid cuts if the President vetoes the package.

Molly Reynolds, a congressional expert at the Brookings Institution, noted that Democrats will still operate within a divided government. Most legislation requires 60 votes to pass the Senate and avoid a filibuster. She warned that the Republican conference that remains after the election may be more conservative than before, as moderate Republicans were defeated.

House Democrats have organized working groups to address the costs of gas, groceries, utilities, housing, and caregiving. Each group is led by two members, one from the progressive wing and one from the center. Hakeem Jeffries, the likely next House Speaker, said the party will pursue bold and dramatic change. He described the current process as a family conversation to determine the best approach for long-term policy.

Tension exists between progressives who want to push for Medicare for All and moderates who favor gradual expansion of access. Brian Schatz, the number three Senate Democrat from Hawaii, stated that bold policy changes are a goal for 2028, while the current focus is stabilizing the country. Chuck Schumer, the Senate Minority Leader, argued that candidates across the spectrum delivered the same message during the campaign, despite different regional emphases.

The new Democratic majorities include many moderate members who won in conservative districts in states like Iowa, Kansas, and South Carolina. A new class of progressives also joined Congress, some of whom flipped Republican-held seats. Will Lawrence, newly elected from a battleground district in Michigan, said voters want to see action to end the Iran war and halt tax dollars going to Israel. Brad Schneider, who chairs the New Democrats caucus, urged leaders not to overpromise to avoid underdelivering.