Dr. Casey Burgat, Legislative Affairs Program Director at The George Washington University
Bill Dauster, Professor at Penn Arts and Sciences and former Deputy Chief of Staff on Policy for former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid
PROCESS:
Despite Democratic control in both chambers and the White House, Congress remains remarkably split.
This is especially on display in the Senate, where Democrats hold the slimmest possible majority, with a 50-50 tie, broken by a vote by Vice President Kamala Harris.
Since most bills need 60 votes to pass in the Senate due to the filibuster, many Democratic advocates have started to call for action to be taken through budget reconciliation, a maneuver that would only require a simple majority.
While some Democrats are eager to advance President Joe Biden’s agenda, others see next week’s high-profile Senate trial as an opening to force the GOP to reckon with Trump’s role in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
President Joe Biden’s push for a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill is forcing an internal reckoning that pits his instincts to work toward a bipartisan deal against the demands of an urgent crisis and his desire to deliver for those who helped elect him.