A New Administration and a New Congress: What to Expect

On Tuesday, November 8, the American public elected Donald J. Trump as the 45th President of the United States and elected one-third of the 100 Senators and all of the House Members who will make up the 115th Congress. As a result of the elections, President-Elect Trump will have the opportunity to work with a Republican Senate and a Republican House to address the challenges facing the country.

In his victory speech, President-Elect Trump said:

Now it’s time for America to bind the wounds of division; [we] have to get together. To all Republicans and Democrats and Independents across this nation, I say it is time for us to come together as one united people. It’s time. I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all Americans, and this is so important to me.

In the aftermath of the most bruising and bizarre presidential election in modern history, will anything get done in Washington DC? Given the stark divisions between the Republican and Democratic parties and the message voters sent to policymakers inside the Capital Beltway, can policymakers overcome their differences to address the pent up demand to resolve major issues that have been multiplying for the better part of a decade?

Senate Legislative Activity

The Senate will convene on Monday, November 14, in pro forma session. On Tuesday, November 15, the Senate will convene at 4:00pm. Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each until 5:00pm. At 5:00pm, the Senate will proceed to the consideration of H.R.4511, Gold Star Families Voices Act. There be 30 minutes of debate followed by a vote on passage of the bill.

House Legislative Activity

On Monday, November 14, the House will meet at 2:00pm for legislative business, with votes postponed until 6:30pm. The following legislation will be considered under suspense on of the rules:

• H.R. 1192 – National Clinical Care Commission Act;

• H.R. 1209 – Improving Access to Maternity Care Act;

• H.R. 2713 – Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act of 2016;

• H.R. 4365 – Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act of 2016, as amended;

• H.R. 985 – Concrete Masonry Products Research, Education, and Promotion Act of 2015, as amended;

• H.R. 4665 – Outdoor Recreation Jobs and Economic Impact Act of 2016, as amended;

• H.R. 2566 – Improving Rural Call Quality and Reliability Act of 2016; and

• H.R. 2669 – Anti-Spoofing Act of 2016

On Tuesday, November 15, the House will meet at 12:00pm for legislative business. The following legislation will be considered under suspension of the rules:

• H.R. 5732 – Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2016, as amended;

• H.R. ___ – Iran Sanctions Extension Act;

• H.R. 5332 – Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2016, as amended; and

• H.Res. 780 – Urging respect for the constitution of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the democratic transition of power in 2016, as amended

On Wednesday, November 16, the House will meet at 10:00am for morning hour and at 12:00pm for legislative business. On Thursday, November 17, the House will meet at 9:00am for legislative business, with last votes expected by 3:00pm. The House will consider:

• H.R. 5711 – To prohibit the Secretary of the Treasury from authorizing certain transactions by a U.S. financial institution in connection with the export or re-export of a commercial passenger aircraft to the Islamic Republic of Iran, Rules Committee Print (Subject to a Rule); and

• H.R. 5982 – Midnight Rules Relief Act of 2016 (Subject to a Rule)

On Friday, November 18, no votes are expected in the House.