Democrats Set Agenda for House Control: Healthcare, Tariffs, and Probes
With control of the House projected, leaders outline a push to reverse Medicaid cuts and launch inquiries into the Epstein files and Iran war costs.
By Lucas Navarro ·
Nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts stand at the center of the new Democratic agenda. With control of the House of Representatives projected for the party, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is on track to become the first Black Speaker of the House when the new Congress convenes in January. The incoming majority plans to use its political capital to reinstate expired Affordable Care Act premium subsidies and reverse those domestic policy changes immediately.
Jeffries told ABC News correspondent Jay O'Brien that the Day One focus will be on healthcare, grocery prices, gas, and housing. He stated that the party aims to drive down the high cost of these essentials. Democrats also indicated they will quickly consider legislation to end the president's global tariffs and restore congressional power over trade policy. The group plans to address what they call an affordability crisis, which they attribute to recent Republican policies.
Rep. Robert Garcia, the presumptive chairman of the House Oversight Committee, released a two-word statement after the projection: "Lawyer up." Garcia has outlined specific investigative priorities, including a subpoena for Attorney General Todd Blanche regarding the Department of Justice's handling of the Epstein files. He plans to hold public hearings on the Epstein investigation rather than the closed-door interviews conducted by Republicans. Garcia also intends to interview Jared Kushner and other Trump family members about their business dealings. The committee will examine the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by immigration agents in Minneapolis and investigate corporate donors to the White House ballroom.
Rep. Jamie Raskin, who is set to lead the House Judiciary Committee, plans to probe the politicization of the DOJ and FBI. His targets include the attempted prosecutions of former FBI Director James Comey, New York Attorney General Letitia James, and former CIA Director John Brennan. Raskin will focus on the firings of career prosecutors and the administration's $1.8 billion Anti-Weaponization fund. He also intends to investigate pay-to-play allegations surrounding presidential clemency powers, a topic Attorney General Todd Blanche dismissed as a non-issue during a Senate hearing in June.
Rep. Adam Smith, the presumptive chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, has pledged increased oversight of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Smith intends to probe the decision to launch the war in Iran on Feb. 28 without congressional authorization. The committee will examine U.S. service member deaths and civilian casualties, as well as strikes on alleged drug smuggling boats in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific Ocean. Smith also plans to review the firing of senior military leaders and the administration's defense budget.
Raskin described impeachment as a critical tool in the constitutional toolbox. He said the committee will not hesitate to use it if the benefits exceed the costs, while acknowledging that impeachment trials consume significant energy. ABC News reached out to the White House to ask if the administration intends to cooperate with Democratic oversight requests.
