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Congress Heads Home: A Pre-Election Wrap-Up for the Self-Employed
With the midterm elections five weeks away, Congress has largely closed up shop until November. The House left town September 16 after leadership canceled its final two scheduled weeks of votes, and the Senate is using its last few days to move a handful of bills before its own October break. Both chambers are due back November 9 for a lame-duck session scheduled to end December 18. Here’s where things stand on the issues that matter most to NASE members.
No Shutdown — For Now
The biggest item on the fall agenda was settled early. Congress passed a continuing resolution (CR) that keeps the federal government funded at current levels through December 11, and the President signed it September 2. The votes were lopsided 90-6 in the Senate and 370-48 in the House, a BIG sign that neither party wanted a repeat of last fall’s record 43-day shutdown heading into an election.
For the self-employed, that means stability: the IRS, SBA and other agencies you rely on will keep operating normally through the fall. But full-year FY2027 spending bills are far from finished, so expect another funding showdown in December.
Health Care Costs Still Remain a Top Issue for Self-Employed
For many self-employed Americans, the most consequential thing Congress didn’t do this year involves addressing the skyrocketing cost of health insurance premiums. The enhanced ACA premium tax credits expired January 1, 2026. The House passed a three-year extension in January, but the Senate never took up the companion bill, no action is expected post election, especially if Democrats take the House.
That means 2027 coverage will be priced under the original ACA rules, including the return of the “subsidy cliff” — households earning above 400% of the federal poverty level receive no premium help at all. Open enrollment runs November 1, 2026 through January 15, 2027 on HealthCare.gov. If you buy your own coverage, update your income projections carefully and shop your options; small swings in income can now mean big swings in cost.
Reconciliation 3.0 is Probably Dead
Republican leaders have been working toward another party-line reconciliation bill, but it looks very different from last year’s tax law. The Senate budget resolution released in August instructs committees to find up to $150 billion, focused mainly on defense, farm aid and election-related provisions — with no instructions to the health committees. Small business groups have urged Congress to build on the now-permanent 20% Qualified Business Income deduction and repeal Beneficial Ownership Information reporting, but those items aren’t part of the current framework. Whether any package moves before January remains an open question.
What’s Waiting in the Lame Duck
When lawmakers return, their to-do list includes the December 11 funding deadline, the annual defense authorization bill, the Farm Bill, a possible disaster aid package and any reconciliation effort. The election results will shape all of it — especially if control of either chamber changes hands in January.
Meet The Author:
As Vice President for Government Relations and Public Affairs, I work to explain how actions on Capitol Hill can impact the self-employed. I love D.C. and have made my home in Capitol Hill, where I live with my husband and black Labrador, Coltrane. We love playing volleyball and softball on the National Mall.
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