The session of the 119th US Congress will begin on Friday. However, the Republican Party’s control of both houses of Congress and the presidency faces challenges after a contentious government funding battle last month.
The Senate is entering the new session as Republicans have taken the majority from the Democrats and Senator Mitch McConnell has been ousted from the party leadership for the first time in 18 years. Republican Senator John Thune has already been selected to lead the Senate as majority leader.
Republicans will have a 53-47 seat majority, well short of the 60 votes needed to advance most legislation.
In the House, where Republicans hold a slim 219-215 majority, the focus will be on votes for speaker. Current Speaker Mike Johnson’s position is in jeopardy after striking a deal with Democrats last month to keep the government funded and open.
Only two Republicans would have to vote against Johnson to put his speech in jeopardy. Democrats are expected to nominate Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries for the speakership, but will likely fall short by a few votes.
President-elect Donald Trump posted his endorsement of Johnson on social media on Monday, saying the speaker was “a good, hard-working, religious man.”
But Republican Representatives Chip Roy and Thomas Massie have already voiced their doubts about his leadership, and Trump ally and adviser Steve Bannon has called on Republicans to remove Johnson from the leadership.
“Mr. Johnson has drawn a lot of criticism from his GOP colleagues. And he has an exceptionally narrow margin for his majority, just a handful of people,” Kevin Kosar, a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, told VOA via Zoom. “
Two years ago, in another congressional start, Republican Kevin McCarthy faced similar challenges in his bid for the speakership. Ultimately he was selected in the 15th round of voting.
If Johnson, or any other Republican, is unable to garner enough votes for the speakership, the chamber could be without a leader pending the official certification of Trump’s election victory on January 6. Whoever leads the House, at least temporarily, will have to maintain that majority. It’s an even stronger majority after Trump took office on Jan. 20, as he chose two House Republicans to join his administration. Is.
Traditionally, the first 100 days of a new presidency and Congress are a time for an ambitious legislative agenda.
“He’s going to hit very hard on tariffs. He’s going to focus on the border, and executive orders related to immigration and immigrants, particularly from Mexico and Muslim countries. And then he’s going to focus on legislative “Any compromise is going to work to get through the agenda.” On things that impact the economy, groceries, as he likes to call it,” Casey Burgett, a professor at George Washington University in Washington, told VOA via Zoom.
Some information for this story was obtained from Reuters.
