The proposed opening agenda combines affordability legislation with investigations of President Donald Trump, his administration and his family. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries is expected to seek the speakership if the party wins the House, which Democrats have not controlled since 2023.
The first legislative targets include restoring Affordable Care Act tax credits that expired in 2025 and reversing Medicaid reductions enacted under the Republican tax-and-spending law known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” Democrats also plan votes aimed at repealing Trump’s tariffs and additional war-powers resolutions concerning the U.S. The party’s affordability work has been organized through five groups covering health care, housing, groceries and other goods, gas and utilities, and caregiving; each group pairs progressive and centrist lawmakers to develop proposals intended to command broad support within the caucus.
Democratic leaders on the House Oversight and Judiciary committees have been preparing investigations involving Trump, his family and his administration, with corruption as a central theme. Jeffries has said impeachment is neither ruled in nor ruled out, while other Democrats have emphasized that their priority is producing legislation and demonstrating that the party can govern cohesively. The planned approach is also meant to avoid the internal disruptions that have marked Republican control of the chamber under Speaker Mike Johnson.
The scale of any Democratic program would depend on the election margins and whether the party also wins the Senate. Democrats need a net gain of four seats in each chamber to overturn current Republican advantages of 218-214 in the House and 53-47 in the Senate. A Democratic Senate would nevertheless control committees and influence judicial, cabinet and ambassadorial confirmations, while a Democratic House would gain subpoena power and investigative authority. The result would be a stronger congressional check on the administration, but major policy changes would remain difficult without Republican cooperation or a change in Senate rules.