January 2026 put the 119th Congress to the test—and once again, it barely showed up. This episode tracks how sudden vacancies shrank the Republican majority, why that paralysis explains one of the quietest legislative months in years, and what actually made it into law when Congress finally finished half of its long-overdue government funding.

View the show notes on our website at https://congressionaldish.com/cd333-january-2026-big-tests-minimal-action

• Contribute monthly or a lump sum via PayPal
• Support Congressional Dish via Patreon (donations per episode)
• Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com
• Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney
• Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com
• Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North, Number 4576, Crestview, FL 32536.

Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish

Thank you for supporting truly independent media!

Secretary of State Marco Rubio testified before the Senate to defend the U.S. seizure of Venezuela's president—and his answers raised more questions than they settled. This episode features highlights from the testimony, discussion of possible further military action, and an examination of the Trump administration's efforts to reshape and control Venezuela's oil sector and contracts.

View the show notes on our website at https://congressionaldish.com/cd332-controlling-venezuela

• Contribute monthly or a lump sum via PayPal
• Support Congressional Dish via Patreon (donations per episode)
• Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com
• Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney
• Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com
• Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North, Number 4576, Crestview, FL 32536.

Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish

Thank you for supporting truly independent media!

This episode breaks down major provisions of the newly passed National Defense Authorization Act, including how Congress quietly weakened air-traffic safety rules, expanded counter-drone authorities for law enforcement, loosened protections against toxic "forever chemicals" for firefighters, and repealed outdated Iraq war authorizations while leaving broader war powers intact. It also covers new laws affecting taxes, veterans, and public lands, Trump's vetoes of bipartisan bills, and a wave of confirmations placing industry-connected figures in powerful regulatory and defense roles.

View the show notes on our website at https://congressionaldish.com/cd331-december-2025-authorizing-future-disasters

• Contribute monthly or a lump sum via PayPal
• Support Congressional Dish via Patreon (donations per episode)
• Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com
• Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney
• Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com
• Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North, Number 4576, Crestview, FL 32536.

Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish

Thank you for supporting truly independent media!

Special Prosecutor Jack Smith gave a closed-door, eight-hour deposition to the House Judiciary Committee that was later—surprisingly—made public. In this episode, hear highlights from his testimony about the investigation into Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election, including the fake electors scheme, key prosecutorial decisions, and why members of Congress chose to scrutinize the investigation rather than the alleged crimes.

View the show notes on our website at https://congressionaldish.com/cd330-prosecutor-jack-smiths-deposition

• Contribute monthly or a lump sum via PayPal
• Support Congressional Dish via Patreon (donations per episode)
• Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com
• Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney
• Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com
• Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North, Number 4576, Crestview, FL 32536.

Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish

Thank you for supporting truly independent media!

In this episode, hear testimony that Republican leadership refused to make part of the official Congressional Record—stories from U.S. citizens who were violently arrested and jailed by agents of the Department of Homeland Security, often while clearly identifying themselves as Americans. This is not rhetoric, speculation, or partisan spin; it is sworn testimony, backed by a Senate investigation, and it raises a terrifying question: if this can happen to them, what stops it from happening to any of us?

View the show notes on our website at https://congressionaldish.com/cd329-citizens-detained

• Contribute monthly or a lump sum via PayPal
• Support Congressional Dish via Patreon (donations per episode)
• Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com
• Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney
• Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com
• Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North, Number 4576, Crestview, FL 32536.

Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish

Thank you for supporting truly independent media!

In this two-topic episode, we break down what became law in November—including the shutdown deal that reopened the government and the dingleberries that were quietly slipped into it. Then we revisit the hearing on the firing of the CDC Director, focusing on a politicized vaccine advisory committee that has changed its recommendation for the hepatitis B vaccine for newborns.

View the show notes on our website at https://congressionaldish.com/cd328-november-laws-vaccine-chaos

• Contribute monthly or a lump sum via PayPal
• Support Congressional Dish via Patreon (donations per episode)
• Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com
• Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney
• Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com
• Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North, Number 4576, Crestview, FL 32536.

Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish

Thank you for supporting truly independent media!

Millions of people have trusted 23andMe with their most intimate data—but what happens when a company holding 15 million DNA profiles goes bankrupt? In this episode, you'll hear highlights from bipartisan House and Senate hearings exposing how genetic data can be hacked, shared, retained, and even sold under current U.S. law. Using testimony from lawmakers, legal experts, and 23andMe leaders, this episode uncovers the alarming gaps in federal privacy protections and explains why your genetic information—and even your relatives'—may be far less secure than you think.

View the show notes on our website at https://congressionaldish.com/cd327-23andme-and-the-sale-of-your-dna

• Contribute monthly or a lump sum via PayPal
• Support Congressional Dish via Patreon (donations per episode)
• Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com
• Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney
• Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com
• Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North, Number 4576, Crestview, FL 32536.

Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish

Thank you for supporting truly independent media!

In this episode, you'll hear what actually happened in Congress during October 2025, a month dominated by a record-breaking shutdown. While the House was on vacation, the Senate enacted mass confirmations of over 100 Trump-aligned nominees—many with extreme views, conflicts of interest, or industry ties—as well as the surprising bipartisan pushback against Trump's global tariff abuses. We also examine the Senate's failed attempt to stop Trump's unauthorized overseas boat strikes.

View the show notes on our website at https://congressionaldish.com/cd326-october-2025-slippery-barnacles

• Contribute monthly or a lump sum via PayPal
• Support Congressional Dish via Patreon (donations per episode)
• Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com
• Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney
• Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com
• Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North, Number 4576, Crestview, FL 32536.

Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish

Thank you for supporting truly independent media!