Category: Congress
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States Spar Over Redistricting Maps
Several states still had unresolved redistricting maps as midterm elections loomed in November. Congressional districts are redrawn after every decennial census and might determine which party controls the House of Representatives next January. The legislatures are tasked in most states with redistricting, but an increasing number have established commissions to draw more representative districts. Commissions, […]
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Biden Seeks Reset as Second Year Begins
President Biden sought to reset the trajectory of his presidency as he officially started the second year of his term. This comes as the president suffered another setback when senate Democrats were unable to overcome a Republican filibuster and pass voting rights legislation. Biden’s signature proposed legislation, called Build Back Better, is also in jeopardy […]
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A Win for President Biden: Infrastructure Bill
The U.S. House of Representatives voted 226-208 to approve a 1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill after months of internal debate and division. The bill will now head to the president’s desk for signature. Passage of the bill gives the president a much-needed political victory in the same week that Republicans made some notable electoral gains […]
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Democrats Seek Intraparty Deal
President Biden travelled to Capitol Hill in hopes of brokering a deal between his party’s moderate and progressive wings. At stake was the president’s Build Back Better plan, but intraparty disagreement in Congress threatened his broader agenda. House Democrats are divided along ideological lines. Progressives want a robust social policy bill and have threatened to […]
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Congress Poised to Act on Stimulus Plan and Impeachment
Democrats in Congress are poised to approve President Biden’s American Rescue Plan. Biden’s proposal would provide pandemic relief to individuals, businesses, and state and local governments. Despite meeting with Republicans and expressing openness to further negotiation, Biden was criticized for not seeking broader congressional support. The president argued that the situation was too urgent to […]
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Biden Inaugurated 46th President
Joseph R. Biden was inaugurated the 46th President of the United States on January 20, 2021. Kamala D. Harris was also inaugurated as the first female, Black, and South Asian vice president. The ceremony took place exactly two weeks after a riotous mob stormed the capital. President Biden enters office amidst a worsening pandemic, a […]
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2020 Elections & The Electoral College Vote: Congressional Certification
On December 14th, 2020, electors that had been appointed by state legislatures of the 50 states and the district of Columbia met in their respective state capitols to cast their votes for president. In each state, political parties choose their slate of electors. Generally, the parties either nominate slates of potential electors at their state […]
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2020 Elections & Congress: Party Composition
In the House of Representatives, Democrats in 2020 were defending a majority in the 435-member House. Republicans held 197 House seats and needed 218 to win control. The results of the November 3 election show that the Democrats will have at least 222 seats and Republicans will have at least 211. As of this writing, […]