2026 Congressional Outlook: A Narrowing Window Before the Midterms

Congress is heading into the final stretch of the 119th Congress with a crowded agenda, limited floor time, and several major policy deadlines still ahead. With Congress facing a compressed calendar ahead of the November elections, the window to advance major legislative priorities is narrowing quickly. This raises the stakes for government funding, defense legislation, […]

The 2026 midterm elections could reshape more than the balance of power in Washington. A wave of congressional departures, changing district maps, and competitive races is setting the stage for significant turnover—and potentially new policy priorities—in the next Congress. Thorn Run Partners’ latest 2026 Midterm Election Report examines the political landscape and what organizations should […]

The $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Fund (RHTF) is already reshaping how states invest in care delivery, infrastructure, and innovation, but most organizations don’t yet have a clear view of where funding is going or how to engage.  With wide variation across all 50 state proposals, identifying where real opportunities exist, and when to act, requires more than surface-level analysis.  To […]

There are more than 1,000 federal lobbying firms in Washington, D.C., competing for attention, access, and influence. For organizations facing a government-related challenge or spotting a federal opportunity, that sheer volume can make one question unavoidable: How do you identify a top federal lobbying firm that can actually deliver results? Despite political volatility, several realities […]

In today’s complicated—but unavoidable—political landscape, companies and organizations increasingly recognize that strategic engagement with the federal government is essential. Whether the goal is influencing legislation, shaping regulatory policy, securing federal funding, or understanding the political environment, having the right lobbyist can mean the difference between success and stagnation. Choosing a lobbyist in Washington, DC, is […]

Late yesterday, the three-bill “minibus” containing the Interior-Environment, Energy-Water, and Commerce-Justice-Science (CJS) funding bills cleared its first “test vote” in the Senate by a vote of 80-13. It’s a sign that this measure is on a glidepath to hit the president’s desk ahead of the Jan. 30 funding deadline, though a “time agreement” to speed […]

The Senate is gearing up for another round of government funding votes during today’s session, but an end to the shutdown is not imminently expected. However, in an interview with MSNBC, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) indicated that he’s prepared to give Democrats a floor vote on their key health-related priorities, namely extending the […]

The federal government remains in a shutdown with no clear progress toward a deal, as lawmakers continue to clash over an extension of the expiring enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits that are set to expire at the end of the year. The White House is continuing to place pressure on Senate Democrats to […]

In an article for CNBC, TRP Partner Louis Sola discussed the maritime industry’s capacity to handle a steep increase in liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports under competing trade policy mandates from the Trump administration. While the president is hailing foreign energy purchases of U.S. LNG in its trade deal frameworks, a separate rule from the U.S. […]

After repeatedly demanding that the Senate remain in session to confirm dozens of Trump appointees, President Donald Trump finally relented late Saturday, posting on social media that Republicans should instead “go home and explain to your constituents what bad people the Democrats are.” This post followed a series of contentious negotiations between the two parties over […]

Senate leadership is continuing discussions on the pending fiscal year (FY) 2026 appropriations vehicle as Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) aims to pass as many as possible in this first tranche. As of now, the Senate Appropriations Committee has passed six bills out of committee — Agriculture-FDA, Commerce-Justice-Science (CJS), Interior-Environment, Legislative Branch, Military Construction-VA (MilCon-VA), […]

The Senate will return for legislative business on Monday as the chamber looks to move its first fiscal year (FY) 2026 spending bills through before the end of the summer work period. Late yesterday, Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-ME) “hotlined” a three-bill spending package containing the bills for Agriculture-FDA, Commerce-Justice-Science, and Military Construction-VA […]