Inside The Washington Beltway Update
Republicans have won control of the U.S. House of Representatives in the 2022 midterm elections.
While the final margin of House control remains undecided due to close races in California and Colorado, Republicans are projected to hold between 219 and 223 seats in the next Congress.
Meanwhile, Democrats have retained control of the U.S. Senate.
The final margin of Senate control will be determined by a December 6 runoff election in Georgia between Sen. Raphael Warnock (D) and Herschel Walker (R).
Democrats will control 50 or 51 seats in the Senate.
This week, Congress returned for its “Lame Duck” session, a period of policymaking lasting through the end of the year.
Items which may be addressed in the lame duck session may include Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 appropriations legislation, the FY 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), and year-end tax legislation.
Already, Republicans have declined to act on legislation to raise or eliminate the debt ceiling, pushing negotiations to the new year.
Congress has already begun to meet to determine party leaders and committee assignments for the 118th Congress.
Last week, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) announced that they would not seek election to Democratic leadership in the next Congress.
Reps. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Katherine Clark (D-MA) are currently expected to become the next House Minority Leader and House Minority Whip.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) also secured the nomination of House Republicans to serve as the next Speaker of the House this week.
However, McCarthy’s path to the Speakership remains unclear, with conservative House Republicans declining to support McCarthy without significant rules concessions from Republican leaders.
In addition, House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA) secured his party’s nomination to become the next House Majority Leader and Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) was reelected as House Republican Conference Chair.
In the Senate, Mitch McConnell (R-KY) was also reelected Minority Leaders by Senate Republicans, despite a last-minute challenge by Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL).
