The Daily Punch A big week for defense and health care
Dec 8, 2025
A high-stakes sprint in Congress looms with urgent health care and defense issues. The looming Obamacare subsidy deadline puts pressure on lawmakers, leading to innovative bipartisan proposals. Meanwhile, GOP divisions spark debate over alternative health plans. In defense, Trump's new national security strategy receives mixed reactions, with critics branding it isolationist. Meanwhile, a recent survey reveals John Thune as a standout leader among congressional staffers, setting the stage for critical votes this December.
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Rank-and-File Pushes Health Care Momentum
- Rank-and-file Republicans are driving new health-care proposals amid leadership inaction.
- The Collins–Moreno plan shows GOP anxiety across ideological lines about the Obamacare cliff.
Collins–Moreno Proposal Signals Policy Experimentation
- The Collins–Moreno proposal would extend subsidies two years with income caps and a $25 minimum payment.
- It signals policy experimentation, but Anna Palmer and Jake Sherman doubt it will become law in the short term.
Leadership Disunity Threatens Near-Term Vote
- Senate and House leaders lack a unified Republican health plan ahead of the deadline, making floor action unlikely this week.
- Mike Johnson aims for a vote before year-end but Jake Sherman expects movement likely next week, not immediate law.