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Senate Agrees to Bipartisan Power Sharing
The Senate unanimously adopted yesterday an organizing resolution where both parties agreed to a bipartisan power-sharing. This sets the Senate’s ground rules even as the chamber is evenly split 50-50. Vice President Kamala Harris holds the tiebreaker. Because of Harris, the Democrats will hold the majority.
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The previous lack of an organizing resolution created an unusual Senate. Republicans technically remained committee chairs for committees. GOP members also handled the confirmation process and scheduling. This created delays for the confirmation of appointees. It also prevented new members from getting their committee assignments.
Bipartisan Power Sharing
Senator Chuck Schumer (NY), the Senate Majority leader, hailed the new agreement. The Democrats are now “ready to hit the ground running” with President Joe Biden’s agenda. “Senate Democrats are not going to waste any time taking on the biggest challenges facing our country and our planet,” Schumer added. Also, he said he gave instructions for incoming Democratic chairs of relevant committees. They can now begin holding hearings on major climate legislation.
Meanwhile, Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (KY) said this is similar to a 2001 agreement. He thinks the setup allows the Senate to operate “fairly” even as it's split down the middle. Afterward, both Schumer and McConnell announced new committee assignments.
2001 Model
In the 2001 agreement, each party will receive an equal number of committee seats. However, the majority party will hold the committee chairmanships. Also, the majority will also control the agenda. Also, Dems can schedule the floor votes, even for items with tied committee votes.
Similar to 2001, both parties agreed to a colloquy or informal understanding. This helped both sides to address the issue of filling the amendment tree. Previously, there were restrictions to get amendment votes. This prevented senators from actively participating in the legislative process.
Schumer noted that this time, they will dramatically increase the number of member-initiated amendments. In addition, Schumer said he also opposes limiting amendments by “filling the tree.” unless obstruction prevented the Senate from taking action, leaving leaders no alternative.
Filibuster Retained
McConnell managed to get a valuable concession. He got the Democrats to agree to train the legislative filibuster. The filibuster is a Senate rule that requires 60 votes to advance most legislation, giving minority members a chance to influence the agenda. When Democrat Senators Joe Manchin (WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (AZ) said they support the filibuster, McConnell dropped his opposition. In addition, McConnell said he would avoid “lengthy debates” on procedural votes for legislation with significant bipartisan support.
Previously, the lack of agreement between the two parties bogged down Senate procedures. IT affected the confirmation of several of President Joe Biden’s Cabinet nominees. Senator Lindsey Graham, the Republican chairman of the Judiciary Committee, said no to a request to schedule a hearing for attorney general nominee Merrick Garland. Graham said that the Senate needs to focus on former president Donald Trump’s incoming impeachment trial.
New Secretary of the Senate as Well
As tradition decrees, the Senate also replaces the Secretary of the Senate. In addition to the power-sharing agreement, Schumer said that Sonceria “Ann” Berry will take over as Secretary beginning March 1. Berry, who replaces Julie Adams, is the first African-American to assume the role. She is also the eighth woman to do so.
Watch the Bloomberg Quicktake video reporting that US Senators Schumer and McConnell reach a power-sharing deal in a 50/50 Senate:
Loading ...Do you support the bipartisan power-sharing between the Democrats and the Republicans? Also, do you think this arrangement will help push bipartisan results? Or, will it result in even more deadlocks?
18 Comments
The games continue.
At the end of the day the communist democrats still hold all the power if this didn’t benefit them it would have never happened!
Truth and fact which liberals will not like your comment
This changes nothing as most of the Republicans are nothing more than RePuppitCrats. Especially McConnell and Schumer is as crafty as…..
We are in this predicament because the American voters expect the government to give them everything. What they don’t realize was is that the government taxes you and me for every perc we are given.
The tax and spend tactics of the democrats have lulled the masses into believing that socialism is the answer. Hopefully, our Supreme Court will uphold the Constitution and get the government back in place.
Old Mitch sounds like Neville Chamberlain.
This country is rapidly going down the drain. Most of this administrations policies do nothing but hurt our citizens. Democrats will now get what they voted for, but so will the rest of us..God help America,that seems to be all the rest of us have left. Yes, elections do have consequences!!
The Democratic Party continues w’ their games. They are not FOR the American public, who erroneously voted them into their positions within Congress. It’s time to STOP careers within our government. It’s time for we the people to stand up & fight for the return of our country & to replace our present government members w’ fresh, upright, &, honest leadership!
If you go back thru history every thing that is passed with strings or ropes attached and full of traps was put in place by the Democrats. Federal Reserve, Social Security, which is unconstitutional the Internal Revenue Service which was originally setup to pay for WWII unconstitutional but look at all that money coming in that they steal from to line their pockets. They follow Saul Alinsky’s prescription to destroy a Nation from within, greed and love of money causes people to do all kinds of evil.
Smoke and mirrors. DC and the so called news people have all gone Hollywood on us and this whole political satire has become a 24/7 Soap Opera. Everything remains the same. Politicians just want to control the people. Dangle a carrot and lead you to hell. They’re trying to make this a socialist dictatorship. More than incorrect to use the two terms together, but the shoe fits.
NEVER, NEVER, NEVER EVER TRUST DEMOCRATS. THE GREATEST THREAT TO THE UNITED STATES AND THE CONSTITUTION IS THE LYING, CHEATING, DISHONIST, EVIL DEMOCRATIC PARTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Power corrupts, and absout power currupts absolutely. Meanwhile the inept and docile Republicans sit on their hands and are led by the “Good Old Boy” traitor, McConnell.
Why would anyone?It is merely window dressing for the public to think that the Senate is going to work toward something of value.FOr the old Guard on BOTH SIDES it is merely to line their personal pockets and those of others in their familes with OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS! We need to get rid of ALL THE OLD GUARD IN BOTH PARTIES ! We The People NEED TO SUPPORT ALL who mount a primary AGAINST ALL ON BOTH SIDES OF THE OLD GUARD! GET THEM OUT FOR ALL OF US “We The People !”
At the end of the day there should be a tie breaker by the people of the United States of America .so we due not have arguments in the politacal areana . If we work togather and go off our original constitution we will get true patriots to serve our country and then go back to private sector our system was failed us so we need to all work togather to fix it
You got thhat right !!!
you cannot work together yo fix anything. democrats will see that that never can happen. mae
changes nothing.
There will Never be bipartisan anything with demonrats in control. They are very evil !!!!!