Week Ahead in Washington: December 21

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) – With Congress in recess and President Donald Trump spending the holidays in Florida, attention has turned to the Epstein files and unresolved healthcare legislation.

The trove of documents partly released Friday has prompted some members of Congress to question whether the Department of Justice followed the law requiring their release, as many files were heavily redacted.

California Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna said Friday night he and Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie were considering drafting articles of impeachment against Attorney General Pam Bondi for not complying with the law the two authored earlier this year.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” some photos were held back at the request of victim advocacy groups as the DOJ looks at whether they need redactions to protect the victims.

With Congress gone, there remains no solution on healthcare. Enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits are set to expire at the end of 2025.

Despite enough lawmakers signing onto a discharge petition forcing a vote to extend the subsidies, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) sent the House home without holding a vote.

Johnson said the full House will vote on the bill when Congress returns to Washington in early January, after the subsidies have lapsed.

Federal workers will get some extra time off this week. Trump signed an executive order closing federal agencies and offices on both Dec. 24 and 26, in addition to Christmas Day.

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