Inside (the Beltway) Scoop

By: Ellen Kuo
Wednesday, November 20, 2024
FASEB Post-Election Outcomes; Member Benefit

President-elect Donald Trump will take office on January 20, 2025, as the 47th president of the United States. He defeated Kamala Harris, garnering 312 electoral votes while only needing 270.

The two chambers of Congress will be held by Republicans with the Senate holding a comfortable 53 to 47 seats and Republicans receiving the 218 seats they need to keep the majority in the House of Representatives.

Additionally, Republicans were busy sorting out leadership roles on November 13. Speaker Mike Johnson wrote a Dear Colleague letter to Republican members calling for their support to continue leading the Republican conference as Speaker in the upcoming Congress. He received a unanimous nomination by the Republicans and Trump’s endorsement. House leadership elections will be held on January 3 with all House members.

President-elect Trump’s influence on Republican leaders continues to be important to determining timing of legislative actions such as completing the fiscal year (FY) 2025 spending bills and the Farm bill. His cabinet picks are also coming at a fast pace with a desire to move them through the Senate in an expedited manner, possibly through recess appointments. In the meantime, Democrats held their House leadership elections on November 19 where Hakeem Jeffries won to remain the minority leader for the next two years.

On December 2, Republican candidates vying for House committee chairs will make their presentations as to why they are the best to lead a committee with their fundraising prowess a strong asset to their efforts. The House Science, Space and Technology committee is one of them as the current chair Frank Lucas must step down and find another assignment due to Republican conference rules that do not allow members to serve as chair for more than six years.

In the Senate, the race for majority leader took place under a secret ballot vote (29-24) between John Cornyn and John Thune, resulting in Thune being elected to replace Mitch McConnell as incoming majority leader. Thune made a floor speech saying that regular order would prevail in the Senate and that senators would be allowed to have their amendments voted on, even controversial ones. In the summer appropriations bills will also go to the floor.

In a related matter, and as a member benefit to our scientific societies, FASEB held a post-election event to provide insights into the next 100 days when the 119th Congress convenes on January 3, 2025. During this discussion, panelists discussed the continuing FY 2025 appropriations process and potential outcomes impacting science policy.

FASEB’s three expert panelists were:

• Aidan Quigley, Appropriations Reporter, CQ Roll Call, is a congressional reporter focusing on government spending. Quigley focuses intently on twelve annual spending bills throughout the year, and other major appropriations fights. He has also covered the 2022 climate, tax and health care law; the 2023 debt ceiling negotiations; and two drawn out. Speaker of the House elections.
• Muftiah McCartin, Principal, McCartin Public Policy Group, is an attorney and lobbyist with extensive public policy and government affairs experience. Her public service career in the U.S. House of Representatives includes senior positions with the Rules Committee, the Appropriations Committee, and the Parliamentarian’s Office. She provided an overview of the House and Senate ratios, major rules and leadership changes, and reconciliation and recess.
• John Martens, Partner, Federal Science Partners, has over 30 years of experience working for all three branches of government. For the last 21 years Martens has held leadership roles on the House Appropriations Committee, most recently as senior advisor on the full committee until retirement in 2023. appointments. He discussed the Inflation Reduction Act, the reprogramming of appropriated funds, difficulties in implementing major changes in government, and the Department of Government Efficiency.