New Congress, Familiar Challenges

The arrival of the new year brings both hope of progress and frustration in accomplishing goals. Our government is no different. January 6 marked the opening of the 114^th United States Congress. The most obvious challenge is that Republicans have gained the majority in both chambers for the first time in eight years, while President Obama is intent on pushing through policies in his remaining time in office.

Here are some of the most likely issues to face our lawmakers in their new session:

• Division within Republican Party Despite having the largest majority since the 71^st Congress (1929-1931), the GOP is experiencing a growing internal divide. An obvious example is that while John Boehner was elected to a third term as Speaker of the House, 25 members of his own party voted against him (twice as many as last session). Many believe the Tea Party, the very conservative movement that gained popularity in 2009, is the cause of this split.
• Energy The first bill introduced in the new Congress was approval of the Keystone XL pipeline. This project has a long history, including a similar bill that failed last year. Those in favor of a pipeline stretching from Canada to Mexico believe that it would decrease our dependence on foreign oil and create jobs. Those opposed say that the benefits are minimal and do not outweigh the potentially permanent damage done to the environment. 75
• Healthcare In 2010, Congress passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (sometimes refered to as Obamacare), which completely overhauled the U.S. healthcare system. Ever since, the Republicans have made several unsuccessful attempts to defund it, calling it a “job killer” and an unfair intrusion on personal freedom. The Supreme Court is expected to rule soon on the legality of the subsidies mandated under the current law. This will likely affect how Congress responds.
• Immigration In November, the president announced reforms to our immigration policy that include allowing current immigrants to apply for work permits. Republicans accused him of “executive overreach.” As a result, many conservatives have vowed to overturn those measures. One reported strategy is to pass a spending bill that includes amendments that would deny Homeland Security funds intended for the president’s proposed immigration reforms.