Hits and Misses: What Congress Achieved in 2023, What’s Ahead for New Year

Only 17 days remain in 2023, and members of Congress are preparing to leave Washington to return to their districts for Christmas. It has been a lively, and sometimes contentious, first session for the 118th Congress. 

The removal in October of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., by his own party likely will be remembered as the most historic event to take place in Congress this year. McCarthy recently announced he will step down.

Newly elected House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., remains in the “honeymoon” phase and is navigating Congress through the contentious waters of budgeting for fiscal year 2024. The appropriations fight will be the first priority for Congress in the new year, with deadlines looming in January and early February. 

More aid for Ukraine in its war with Russia still is being debated as GOP lawmakers make it clear they won’t support additional funding without legislation to secure America’s southern border. The House passed a border security bill, known as HR 2, in May, but the Senate has failed to take up the legislation. 

On this week’s edition of the “Problematic Women” podcast, Sarah Feldpausch, director of government relations for Heritage Action for America, joins the show to explain what Congress achieved this year and what tops its priority list when it returns to Washington in January. 

Listen to the podcast below:

Have an opinion about this article? To sound off, please email [email protected], and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state.