As the end of the month nears, Congress appears to have made little progress toward reaching agreement on funding the government when fiscal year 2026 begins on October 1.

Republicans support a stopgap bill that would continue current funding levels for most programs through November 21 and provide an additional $88 million to protect members of Congress, executive branch employees, and Supreme Court justices.

In contrast, the Democratic alternative would fund the federal government through October 31, reverse the reconciliation bill’s huge cuts in Medicaid coverage, prevent the administration from using rescissions to claw back funding as it did earlier this year, and restore funding for public broadcasting.

Democrats are also pushing to permanently avoid massive increases—75 percent or more—in Affordable Care Act (ACA) premiums when enhanced subsidies enacted during the Biden administration expire on January 1. More than 90 percent of the 24 million people covered by the ACA would be affected, many of whom could lose health care coverage entirely.

Meanwhile, NEA leaders participated in last week’s Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Leadership Conference. In a session titled “Expanding Opportunities through Innovation: Student Success,” NEA President Becky Pringle focused on how educators are using their unions to create opportunities for students. In another session, NEA Secretary-Treasurer Noel Candelaria discussed the challenge of preventing gun violence in the face of increasing harassment and intimidation from law enforcement and immigration officers.

Tell Congress what you think!

In Solidarity,