Democrats Gain Slim Control of the Senate

On Jan. 6, 2021, Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock defeated incumbent senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler of Georgia, handing Democrats a majority in the Senate when Osoff, Warnock, and Alex Padilla (appointed to Vice President Kamala Harris’ California senate seat) were sworn in on Jan. 20. 

With a Democrat-controlled Senate, it will ease the passage of President Joe Biden’s cabinet confirmations and judicial nominations. Democrats will be able to call hearings and determine what bills will be coming to the Senate for votes. Legislation from the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives will also be considered in the Senate. 

The dual victories in Georgia will make Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) the Senate Majority Leader, and allow for Democrats  to lead Senate committees. Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT) will lead the Budget Committee, a sharp contrast from Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY).
Ambitious proposals for climate change and other domestic priorities of the Biden administration will be difficult because of moderate Democrats facing re-election in competitive races. Congress will be able to pass tweaks to bolster the Affordable Care Act. Congress will also be able to give more insurance subsidies, and get health care coverage for low income families in states where Medicaid was not expanded. Elements of Biden’s plan for a public health insurance option will be difficult because it requires structural overhauls.

Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) will also head the Banking Committee. Brown will have a markedly different agenda than Senator Michael D. Crapo (R-ID). Brown said his priorities will be addressing the effect of the pandemic and relief provisions that will expire. 

With the Senate being divided into 50-50, most votes will need a tie-breaking vote from the Vice President Harris. Democrats will also need 10 Republicans to join them to advance most bills. There also looms the threat of the filibuster, a legislative device that lets a senator or group of senators speak as long as they want to until 3/5ths of the chamber votes to end the debate.
Liberal Democrats have pushed to get rid of the filibuster, but moderate Democrats, such as Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona have expressed no interest in eliminating it. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) initially was opposed to the idea of eliminating the filibuster, but has expressed interest in it if Republicans continue to filibuster. 

Moderate members of the Senate, most notably the moderate conservative Democrat Manchin, Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT), Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), Senator Sinema, and Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) will  be crucial votes for both sides of the aisles.