Announcements
Jennifer Emerling / There Is More Work To Be Done
Jennifer Emerling / There Is More Work To Be Done
Outlook For The New Congress
OUTLOOK FOR THE NEW CONGRESS
The new 112th Congress next year will have a significantly different line-up of key players for housing. In addition, lame duck sessions of the 111th over the next few weeks may be considering appropriations and other housing legislation. Many questions remain at this early point after the mid term elections.
The players. The Republicans’ sweeping victory in the House of Representatives means that the following new chairmen will probably take up gavels in January:
- Appropriations Committee, Jerry Lewis (CA) or Hal Rogers (KY);
- Transportation-HUD Appropriations Subcommittee, Tom Latham (IA);
- Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, Jack Kingston (GA);
- Financial Services Committee, Spencer Bachus (AL); and
- Housing Sucommittee, Shelley Moore Capito (WV).
Top minority slots (known as “ranking members”) for Democrats will likely fall to Norm Dicks (WA) for the full Appropriations Committee and John Olver (MA) and Rosa DeLauro (MA) for the subcommittees. On Financial Services the minority ranking members are likely to be current chairs Barney Frank (MA) and Maxine Waters (CA).
Both House and Senate Committees will see many new members. For example, seven Senate appropriators are leaving, as are a large number of their House counterparts. Chairs and ranking slots also may be subject to realignments among members based on vacancies and seniority.
In the Senate present Appropriations Committee leadership is likely to continue — Daniel Inouye (D-HI) and Thad Cochran (R-MS). But the new Senate Banking Committee chair will likely be Tim Johnson (D-SD). There also will be new ranking members for T-HUD and Agriculture Appropriations. Sens. Kit Bond (R-MO) and Sam Brownback (R-KS) are leaving, and it is not yet clear who will assume their ranking positions.
Legislation and funding. With a continuing resolution in effect until Dec. 3, the current Congress is set to reconvene for a lame duck session starting November 15. It is currently unclear whether 2011 appropriations will be funded in an omnibus bill, a year-long continuing resolution, or another short-term CR until early next year. There also seem to be possibilities for inclusion of several pieces of authorizing legislation in an omnibus spending measure. But that too is unclear.
HAC will provide further updates as more information is known.
Last updated: November 4, 2010