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Federal Market Intelligence for Small Business |
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Biden agenda gets boostDemocratic control of the White House that begins at 12 noon on Jan. 20, Inauguration Day, and of Congress within a few days of that date, is likely to sweep in some big shifts in policies and spending in the next two years. President-elect Joe Biden and the newly-Democratic majority in Congress will have a broader opportunity to enact their politically moderate-to-progressive agenda, initially including addressing urgent matters such as confirmation of Cabinet appointees,, vaccine distribution, pandemic control, stimulus checks and a Russian cybersecurity attack. It is the first time since the 2009-2011 congressional session that the Democrats will control the White House and Congress. Since January 2019, Republicans have been in charge in the White House and Senate, while Democrats have had the majority in the House. The new Democratic majorities are narrow, which means that Biden’s legislative initiatives may be stymied by a handful of party members in opposition, or sometimes in the Senate by just one Democratic defector. The Congress is unlikely to be able to pass major new initiatives such as Medicare for all, sought by the progressive wing. Senate and House changes On Jan. 5, Democrats Rev. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff won Senate runoff races in Georgia, giving the Democrats 50 seats to the Republicans’ 50 seats in the Senate. Under the US Constitution, in the event of a tie vote the Vice President, Kamala Harris, casts the deciding vote. Once Warnock and Ossoff are sworn in, Democrats will be in control of the Senate and will choose leaders. The dates for their swearing-in ceremonies have not been set as of presstime, but are expected to be either a few days before or a few days after the Inauguration. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-NY, is expected to be the new Senate Majority Leader. Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-KY, presumably would be Senate Minority Leader. Sen. Ben Cardin, D-MD, is the likely new chair of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-FL, presumably will remain on the panel as the top-ranked Republican, although that is less certain as he recently served as acting chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee and perhaps may gain a role there. In the House, the Democrats have 222 members vs. the Republicans’ 211 members. Biden’s agenda Biden has indicated that he quickly will cancel many of the Executive Orders imposed by President Donald Trump, and restore regulations and enforcement on health care, policing, immigration, environment, labor and small business, among others. Impeachment and conviction of President Donald Trump also may be on Congress’ agenda within the first 100 days or shortly after, as many lawmakers view Trump’s role in the Jan. 6 attack on the US Capitol as an urgent national security issue. Biden has been neutral on the subject.
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Washington Insider:
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