Congress

Republicans set to make ‘best and final’ Obamacare offer, Moreno says

Published

9 months ago

January 28, 2026

GOP Sen. Bernie Moreno said that Republicans will make their “best and final” offer after weeks of bipartisan talks to revive lapsed Obamacare subsidies.

“It’s going to be in the hands of the Democrats very shortly. … Here’s the exact thing that we think is the maximum we can sell our conference,” Moreno told reporters.

“This would be it,” the Ohioan added. “This is the best and final” offer.

Moreno is one of the lead GOP negotiators involved in months of talks about a potential two-year revival of the enhanced Obamacare tax credits that lapsed Jan. 1. The senators involved have discussed immediate new restrictions such as an income limit, as well as more sweeping changes kicking in the second year, including expanding the use of health savings accounts.

Moreno separately told reporters the group is proposing to maintain the status quo on the Hyde amendment, which restricts the use of federal dollars on abortion services.

Sen. Angus King (I-Maine), who has been involved with the talks, appeared optimistic about the chances of a deal, telling reporters Wednesday he expected to receive text later in the day. The health care discussions have been largely back-burnered as Congress has spent recent weeks dealing with an approaching government shutdown deadline.

“I think we’re very close,” said King, who caucuses with Democrats. “We have a solid bipartisan group, and hopefully we can move the bill once we get through this budget situation.”

But others involved in the negotiations have been surprised by Moreno’s comments about the impending release of a bill, noting that Democrats had not seen or signed off on anything yet, according to two people granted anonymity to speak candidly about the talks.

Congress

Sanders warns Democrats about spending too much time investigating Trump

Published

8 hours ago

November 8, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

Sen. Bernie Sanders on Sunday applauded the Democrats’ midterm victories but warned the incoming majority against spending too much time investigating President Donald Trump.

In an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press,” the Vermont progressive said holding the Trump administration “accountable” is important — but addressing affordability must take priority.

“We cannot spend all of our time investigating Trump,” Sanders said. “We’ve got to stand up for working-class families, make a real difference in their lives.”

Democrats ran on a message of affordability ahead of the midterms, knocking the Trump administration for sky-high gas and grocery prices, the cost of living and rising healthcare costs. But they also vowed to investigate administration officials; incoming House Oversight Committee leader Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) on Sunday warned that Democrats could investigate everything from pardons Trump made earlier in his second term to Trump allies including Elon Musk and the president’s newly appointed chief of staff Stephen Miller.

Still, Sanders on Sunday said the election was about more than just Americans wanting to tackle the Trump administration’s “corruption and illegal, unconstitutional actions.”

“What I think this election was about, is the American people not only expressing disgust with Trump and his policies, but are demanding real change, no more tinkering around the edges,” said Sanders. “And what the American people are saying: Look, we are working long hours. We’re worried about our kids. We can’t afford healthcare. We can’t afford housing.”

But Sanders, who serves on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), also told BLN’s “State of the Union” that he would be “open” to a proposal by Sen.-elect Annie Andrews (D-S.C.) to impeach Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

“At the very least, I think, he is the most dangerous secretary of the HHS in history and he needs to be held accountable,” said Sanders. “We’re going to bring him before the committee, that’s for sure, and ask him some tough questions that have not been asked of him previously.”

And though Sanders accused Trump of being “erratic,” he added that the president is “a good politician” that Democrats may be able to work with.

“I think, when Trump looks out in the world and he sees millions of people working for starvation wages, he might not be unsympathetic to raising the minimum wage to a living wage,” said Sanders. “He would love, I think, to take credit for doing what every other major country does: guaranteeing healthcare to all people.”

Congress

Rep. Robert Garcia: ‘The days of us not fighting back are over’

Published

8 hours ago

November 8, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

The top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee vowed Sunday to lead a series of probes into Trump administration officials, telling BLN’s “State of the Union” that Democratic leaders will no longer “take the high road.”

“When Republicans go low, what we’re not going to do anymore is just take that, take the high road and turn the other cheek,” said Rep. Robert Garcia. “The days of us not fighting back are over.”

Following his party’s decisive midterm wins, the California Democrat formally announced his bid to chair the Oversight Committee in a letter to colleagues Thursday.

The bid comes after Garcia warned members of the Trump administration and others to “lawyer up.” On Sunday, he added that even members of the president’s family — such as President Donald Trump’s son, Donald Trump, Jr., and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner — could “absolutely” be subjects of the committee’s investigations.

“They should be expected to answer questions,” Garcia said.

He also indicated that pardons Trump made earlier in his second term could be investigated, as well as donors helping finance the president’s White House ballroom; the operation into the removal of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro; the Iran war; and Trump allies including Elon Musk and the president’s newly appointed chief of staff Stephen Miller.

Attorney General Todd Blanche on Sunday accused Garcia and other Democratic leaders of “outright threats” and condemned the promised probes of “basically every member of the Cabinet,” including Miller.

“You have members of Congress who, after Tuesday, have done nothing but threaten everything that’s happening in this administration. That is not governing, that is not leading, that is not oversight,” Blanche said in an interview immediately preceding Garcia’s. “That’s actually a disappointment. And it’s sad.”

Blanche on Sunday appeared to indicate the Justice Department could investigate Democratic members at the behest of Trump, who has called Democratic leaders extortionists and, on multiple occasions, called for them to be jailed.

“What Todd Blanche is doing right now is a threat,” said Garcia. “He is threatening our committee. He’s trying to stop us from doing real oversight.”

Congress

Johnson’s meeting request

Published

2 days ago

November 6, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

Sen. Ron Johnson is sending a letter Monday requesting a conference meeting to discuss the midterm results and a delay in the leadership election.

Johnson has gathered enough signatures to force the meeting under the Senate GOP’s rules and is proposing the gathering for 9 a.m. Tuesday.

“Tuesday’s result was a stunning defeat,” Johnson and his backers write in the letter to Conference Chair Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), a copy of which was obtained by POLITICO. “Holding leadership elections without engaging in a robust discussion and evaluation of how those running for leadership intend to lead would be political malpractice”

Republicans still expect their leadership election to be held Tuesday, where Majority Leader John Thune is so far unopposed to lead the party next year in the minority.