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The Human Needs Report is the Coalition on Human Needs' newsletter
on national policy issues affecting low-income and vulnerable populations.
It is published every other week while Congress is in session.
Article from the November 28 , 2006 edition
of the CHN Human Needs
Report:
On January 4th members of the 110th Congress will be sworn in. Among them are 10 new Senators and at least 54 new members of the House of Representatives pending five undecided elections. (See list of new members: http://www.chn.org/pdf/2006/NewMembers110th.PDF) Democrats will take over leadership in both the House and Senate. Republicans lost their 55-45 majority. (During the 109th Congress the one independent, Jeffords (I-VT), caucused with the Democrats and held a Democratic committee assignment slot.) The Democrats will hold a slim 51-49 majority with the two independent Senators, Lieberman (I-CT) and Sanders (I-VT), caucusing with the Democrats. The Democrats will likely enjoy at least a 30-seat majority in the 435-seat House, similar to the Republican majority in the 109th Congress.
The old Congress was in town to begin its lame duck session during the week of November 13. With new members present for orientation, one of the main orders of business was for House and Senate Democrats and Republicans to elect their leaders for the 110th Congress. With few exceptions, most races were uncontested. (See House and Senate leadership: http://www.chn.org/pdf/2006/Leadership110thCongress.PDF) Senate Democrats also made committee assignments for the new Congress. (See Committees at: http://www.chn.org/pdf/2006/SenateCommitteesDems.PDF) Senate Republicans and both parties in the House have not yet determined committee membership.
Incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) promise “to hit the ground running” in January. Rather than going home for several weeks after the official swearing in ceremony the first week of January, they will get to work immediately. Their list of priorities include introducing and enacting legislation addressing ethics reform, implementing the 9/11 Commission recommendations, increasing the minimum wage, amending the prescription drug legislation to allow negotiations with the drug companies for lower prescription drug prices, cutting interest rates on student loans, and repealing oil tax giveaways. The House is committed to passing many of these priorities within the first 100 hours they are in session. Both chambers also intend to move quickly to adopt an even-handed pay-as-you-go rule that will require that any new tax cuts or increases in entitlement spending be paid for with tax increases or entitlement cuts. Under Republican leadership “pay-go” did not apply to tax cuts.
Many in the media note that the moderate/conservative House Democratic Blue Dog Caucus will number 44 members, up from 35 in the 109th. On certain issues they will likely align with a shrinking number of moderate Republicans to wield strong influence. However, new members will also be added to the House Progressive Caucus, which already numbers 64 and is the largest and most regionally diverse caucus in Congress. Members of the Progressive Caucus are committed to progressive values that include legislating to bring about greater economic justice. Members of the Caucus will likely chair a significant number of powerful committees in the House including Ways and Means, Rules, Judiciary, Government Reform, Homeland Security, Financial Services, and International Relations.
Because the Senate is closely divided, the Democrats will hold a slim one-member majority on committees. Senate rules allow the minority to filibuster most legislation, thus requiring 60 votes for passage rather than a simple majority. Bi-partisan cooperation in the Senate will be essential to move any legislation.
Prior to returning for the lame duck session, the 109th Congress worked fewer days than most Congresses in recent history, and were unable to finish essential work, such as completing spending bills for FY ’07. The leaders in the 110th Congress are determined to shed the “do nothing” label associated with the 109th Congress. Their fuller work calendar for the upcoming year is one indication that they intend to do just that. (See 2007 calendar: http://www.chn.org/pdf/2006/SenateCalendar2007.PDF)
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