From Obamacare’s uncertain future to student loan shakeups and Jasmine Crockett’s bold Senate run, this week’s headlines trace the shifting lines of power and policy.
What You Need To Know: In Texas, Rep. Jasmine Crockett is making her own move, jumping into the Senate race and shaking up a political map long overdue for change. Washington rewrites the fine print on America’s future. Congress prepares to vote on whether Obamacare’s subsidies live or die, while the Education Department quietly pulls the plug on Biden’s SAVE student loan plan—leaving millions of borrowers in limbo. From the classroom to Congress, the country’s next chapter starts with who’s willing to fight for it.
Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett Announces Senate Campaign
Rep. Jasmine Crockett announced her candidacy for the U.S. Senate on Monday, entering the 2026 race in Texas and challenging entrenched Republican power in the traditionally red state. Crockett, a two-term Democrat representing Texas’ 30th Congressional District, filed her paperwork on the final day to qualify, prompting fellow Democrat Colin Allred to withdraw.
Deep dive: Born in St. Louis, Missouri,Crockett is an American lawyer and Democratic politician serving as the U.S. representative for Texas’ 30th Congressional District since 2023, after one term in the Texas House of Representatives. Crockett previously worked as a public defender and civil rights attorney focused on criminal defense and representing marginalized communities. Crockett also previously served in the Texas House of Representatives from 2021 to 2023 before winning her U.S. House seat.
Congress To Vote On Obamacare Subsidies Extension
The bigger picture: For Medicaid beneficiaries, the expected vote largely centers on private insurance subsidies and does not directly alter Medicaid eligibility or benefits. However, broader health care debates tied to the ACA can influence federal and state budget priorities, thereby affecting Medicaid funding levels. If subsidies are allowed to expire, some people may lose Marketplace coverage and seek alternatives, including Medicaid, where eligible, potentially increasing enrollment pressure on state programs.
Education Department Ends Biden-era SAVE Student Loan Repayment Plan
The U.S. Department of Education said it will end the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) student loan repayment plan as part of a settlement with the state of Missouri reached on December 9, 2025. Under the proposed agreement, the Education Department will stop enrolling new borrowers in the plan, deny pending applications, and transition current SAVE participants into other repayment programs if a federal court approves the deal. The SAVE plan, launched under the Biden administration, had offered income-based payments and a faster path to loan forgiveness for roughly 7 million borrowers.
What’s next? For student loan borrowers, the end of SAVE may lead to higher monthly bills and reduced access to streamlined forgiveness pathways. Millions will need to reselect repayment plans before automatic transitions begin, and those who delay could see interest resume sooner.
Rod Paige, First Black Secretary Of The Department Of Education, Dies At 92
Rod Paige, the former U.S. Secretary of Education who helped launch the No Child Left Behind Act, died Tuesday at age 92, his family confirmed. Paige served as the seventh education secretary under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005, becoming the first Black person to hold the Cabinet post.
Adrienne A. Jones Steps Down As Maryland House Speaker
Adrienne A. Jones announced that she is stepping down from her leadership role, ending a historic tenure as head of the state’s House of Delegates. Jones, a Democrat from Baltimore County, said she will continue serving as a delegate representing District 10 even as she relinquishes the speakership ahead of the 2026 legislative session. Her departure sets off a scramble among lawmakers to select a successor before the legislature reconvenes in January.
Why it matters: Jones’ role was historic not only because she was the first woman and the first Black legislator elected as Speaker of Maryland’s House of Delegates, but also because her election in 2019 shattered long-standing barriers in state government and broadened representation at the highest levels of Maryland politics.