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It’s been a busy year on Capitol Hill. Republicans wasted no time getting to work to codify much of President Donald Trump’s agenda and Democrats have taken every opportunity they could to make things as difficult as possible for the majority party.
So where does that leave us?
On the last day of session for our legislative friends, 57 bills have been passed by Congress and signed into law by the president. That’s fewer than the 175 signed by former President Joe Biden in 2024, but undoubtedly an improvement compared to the 27 bills signed in 2023.
And Republican leaders seem confident they have some momentum to ride in January.
“We’re finishing as united as we’ve ever been,” House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., told a group of us outside the last House votes of the year on Thursday. “You look at all the things that we’re finishing up on, we’ve got a lot of momentum going into the new year. We’re going to have a very bold, aggressive agenda again next year with an even more narrow majority.”
If you ask any Republican what the biggest accomplishment from this year is, you’re likely to hear the same answer: passing Trump’s trillion-dollar tax cuts package.
“I don’t know how long you’ve been fully around Congress, but how often do you see Congress get something done six months before the stated crisis actually takes place?” Utah Rep. Blake Moore told me on Thursday, noting the Big Beautiful Bill Act passed in July — nearly six months before the tax credits were set to expire.
As a bonus, he told me that he considers the legislation one of the most significant he might ever have a hand in.
“Honestly, knowing that the pro-growth tax policy is permanent — not just like, on a four- to eight-year timeline — that’s the most significant thing I might do in my time, policy-wise, in Congress,” he said.
But Moore gave me a more realistic view of how much was accomplished this year, telling me that while the House made good progress on codifying Trump’s executive orders (despite most being stopped by the Senate), he was hoping to get more done before the end of the year.
Some of those things include more clarity on Trump’s tariffs, implementing more of the president’s border policy, and more movement on trade policy, he said.
Utah Rep. Mike Kennedy, who just finished his first year in Congress, pointed to a lot of projects he was proud to be part of this year, including a bill he’s worked on with Utah Sen. John Curtis to hold social media companies liable for promoting content that is responsible for radicalizing users and prompting them to cause harm.
Kennedy similarly touted the massive tax package as a win for Republicans this year, specifically the policies on no taxes on tip, no taxes on overtime, and no taxes on Social Security.
“These are big deals for regular working-class families in America, and I’m proud of that work,” Kennedy told me.
Stories Driving the Week
- Pentagon payday: The Senate passed the annual defense and national security package on Wednesday, sending the bipartisan bill to President Donald Trump’s desk for his signature before breaking for the holiday recess. The $900 billion framework outlines priorities for the Pentagon in the 2026 fiscal year, authorizing what the Defense Department can do with its budget.
- Health care on pause: The House narrowly passed Republicans’ health care package on Wednesday, a mostly symbolic vote as lawmakers engage in bipartisan negotiations behind the scenes to address the expiring Obamacare subsidies separately. Any real action will have to wait for January.
- Congress eyes Utah: Federal lawmakers are exploring ways to block colleges from entering into private equity deals, possibly putting plans at risk for the University of Utah after it announced last week a first-of-its-kind proposal to infuse hundreds of millions of dollars into its athletic programs.
Quick Hits
From the Hill: Proposal to transfer Forest Service land to Utah ski resort working way through Senate. … House passes GOP health care package but any solution will wait until January. … How Sen. Curtis got a front-row seat to this year’s history-making moments.
From the White House: In his end-of-year speech, President Trump claims economy is fixed. ... Why does Trump believe Venezuela ‘stole’ from the U.S.? … Melania Trump brings her return to the White House to the big screen.
From the courts: A first look at Utah GOP plan to expand state Supreme Court. … Major settlement reached in Utah’s ongoing fight against pharmaceutical price inflation.
What’s next
The House and Senate are out until after the holidays. When they return, they have a long list of things to do ranging from health care policy to government funding. It’ll be a busy time, but in the meantime — Merry Christmas and happy holidays!
As always, feel free to reach out to me by email with story ideas or questions you have for lawmakers. And follow me on X for breaking news and timely developments from the Hill.