New Year, New Congress, New Leadership
With the inauguration of Donald Trump as president on Jan. 20, Republicans have a governing trifecta with control of the House of Representatives, Senate, and executive branch. However, the partisan majority in each chamber is slim, making passage of any legislation far from certain. The House will have 219 Republicans and 215 Democrats, while the Senate will have 53 Republicans and 47 Democrats. Republicans in both chambers will see their majorities shrink, at least temporarily, since several lawmakers have been nominated by Trump to lead various federal agencies.
The House recently elected Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., to continue as speaker and Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., as majority leader. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., will remain the House Democratic leader. In the Senate, Republicans elected Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., as their new majority leader after Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., stepped down from the position. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., will continue as Senate Democratic leader.
Both chambers will experience a change in committee leadership, as is tradition at the start of a new Congress. The committees of particular interest to SHRM are:
- Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee: Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., chair, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., ranking member.
- House Education and the Workforce Committee: Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., chair, and Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., ranking member.
- Senate Judiciary Committee: Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, chair, and Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., ranking member.
- House Judiciary Committee: Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, chair, and Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., ranking member.
- House Appropriations Committee: Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., chair, and Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., ranking member.
- Senate Appropriations Committee: Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, chair, and Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., ranking member.
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