Top Five Things to Keep in Mind about the New Congress

Today marks the beginning of the 112th Congress, and we here at AAUW thought it might be nice to give our readers a sneak peak of what’s to come. So here’s a list of the top five important things to know about the new Congress and what they may mean for AAUW’s public policy work:

1. The slate is clean. All legislation that didn’t pass in the last Congress has been washed away and will need to be reintroduced; all the “S. #’s” and “H.R. #’s” are gone for now, and we start over at S. 1 and H.R. 1. Stay tuned for the new bill numbers for AAUW priority legislation!
2. We’re working with a “split” Congress. The Republicans, after winning numerous House races, now control that chamber and its committees’ chairs, while the Senate remains in Democratic hands (although the Dems now have a smaller majority). This could mean gridlock, with each chamber passing legislation that the other will not, or it could mean a renewed attempt at bipartisan cooperation. My guess is that we’ll see gridlock on some big ticket issues (immigration, for example) but compromise on issues like education.
3. We might see some reforms to the way the filibuster is used. Under current Senate rules, any senator can, just by threatening what is called a “filibuster,” prevent a bill or issue from being discussed and voted on unless there is a 60-vote majority willing to end debate (called “cloture”). This has not always been the case — filibustering used to mean that senators had to stand up and literally “talk the bill to death.”Because they have become so easy to employ, filibusters were used 136 times in the 111th Congress, double the number from the last time the Democrats were in the minority. This has created a situation in which nearly any Senate action, whether passing a bill or confirming a judicial nominee, requires a 60-vote majority. Some senators, frustrated with the obstructionism in the last Congress, have pushed for filibuster reform. However, in order to change Senate rules by a simple majority, action must be taken on the very first day of the new term. (Strangely enough, due to another rule, that “day” can last for months, so don’t be confused if nothing happens today!)We’ll see if reform occurs. If I were a gambling man, I’d guess there will be too much disagreement about how to reform the filibuster and that nothing will happen this time around.
4. The president will likely enact more of his agenda by executive order and through changing federal regulations. Because of the new split Congress and the filibuster, it will be harder than ever for the administration to pass bills. So, we’re likely to see more action through means that are more firmly under the control of the executive branch. Because AAUW comments on and suggests changes to regulations, this may allow us some real opportunities to influence public policy.
5. The House Oversight Committee will be doing a lot of investigation into the administration and its agenda. As mentioned before, House committee chairs are now controlled by the Republicans. The new chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) will have subpoena power and has already announced that he intends to hold “seven hearings a week, times 40 weeks” investigating alleged instances of government waste or overreach.