The U.S. economy, meanwhile, is bound to continue to feel the lasting effects of the recently concluded shutdown even as another could be coming. The economy probably slowed in the final three months of 2025, partly because of the damage caused by the shutdown, as MarketWatch has previously reported.

There’s plenty of drama on the 2026 congressional agenda, from Obamacare to Venezuela. But lawmakers will probably manage to keep the lights on.

The US Congress is set to avoid another government shutdown later this month by passing compromise bills that would soften spending cuts sought by the Trump administration, according to Republicans and Democrats involved in the process.

Lawmakers are battling the clock as they work to push through the remaining appropriations bills ahead of the Jan. 30 shutdown deadline. The Senate is expected to take up a minibus appropriations

Congress closed out 2025 with a significant accomplishment: passing the FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which the president signed into law Dec. 18.

Lawmakers are debating a Department of Homeland Security funding bill amid calls for immigration enforcement reforms, with potential implications for a government shutdown.

U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, who represents the Lehigh Valley in Congress, has joined a bipartisan effort to ensure that federal workers and service members continue to receive pay during government shutdowns.

Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) is pushing back against calls from some Democrats to freeze funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), even if it were to result in another government