Director’s Desk
Kristin Nicholson | November 7, 2024
Dear Friends,
Election Day 2024 is behind us, but it leaves in its wake one big immediate-term question (who will control the House?) and a long list of others that will take months and years to answer. One thing we do know is the lame duck session begins next Tuesday, and it should be a fascinating one.
Senate Republicans, set to take charge of the chamber in January, will hold leadership elections on November 13 and the race for Mitch McConnell’s successor as Majority Leader appears to be wide open. House Republicans have set their leadership elections for the same day, with the current leadership team appearing likely to remain despite a lack of certainty over chamber control.
Meanwhile, with the current Continuing Resolution set to expire December 20, it remains to be seen whether Republicans will seek to finalize FY25 funding before the holidays – allowing them to start the new Congress with a clean slate – or push for another CR to give a new Republican president and Senate majority greater influence over the current fiscal year. With other major to-do items like the National Defense Authorization Act, a new Farm Bill and hurricane recovery funding, it will be a consequential session indeed.
We know the 119th Congress will usher in major changes in party and committee leadership, oversight, budget politics, and a range of policy issues. If you want a better understanding of how all of these dynamics are likely to play out and intersect over the coming year, I highly recommend our online New Congress class, coming on January 15. It’s a perfect way to begin the year with key insights into what’s happening on the Hill and how it might affect you. We can also bring a shorter version of this class direct to your organization – get in touch and let me know how we can help.
Finally, as we all seek to understand the factors at play in Tuesday’s election results, Senior Fellow Laura Blessing shares this month’s newsletter feature – a framework for thinking about important trends affecting our political parties, the American electorate, and future policy-making. I hope you take the time to read and give it some thought.
All the best,
Kristin
Categories: Director's Desk, Media Center, Updates