At the Heart of the Shutdown Showdown: Why Health Care Is Congress’s Toughest BattleDecember 25, 2025
By Ava ThompsonDecember 25, 2025 Politics At the Heart of the Shutdown Showdown: Why Health Care Is Congress’s Toughest Battle As Congress edges toward a shutdown, health care funding remains a flashpoint, with lawmakers divided over Medicaid, Medicare and pandemic-era programs that drive partisan gridlock.