Republicans face challenges despite control of Congress and the White House

2025-01-03 17:21:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The 119th legislature of the United States Congress begins today. After last month's government budget impasse, the Republican Party's control of both Congress and the White House faces challenges.

In this new legislature, the Republicans will have the majority in the Senate, which until now was held by the Democrats. Sen. Mitch McConnell stepped down as Senate Republican leader, a post he held for 18 years. Republican Senator John Thune has been elected to this role.

Republicans will have a 53-47 majority, well short of the 60 votes needed to pass most legislation.

In the House of Representatives, where Republicans hold a narrow 219-215 majority, attention will be focused on the vote for the speaker of this chamber. Incumbent Mike Johnson's job is in question after the deal he reached last month with Democrats to pass a temporary government budget and avoid a government shutdown.

Only 2 votes against Johnson from the Republicans would be enough to call into question his role as leader of the House of Representatives.

Democrats are expected to nominate Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries for the post, but he is not expected to receive the necessary votes.

President-elect Donald Trump on Monday expressed his support for current Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, describing him as "a good, hard-working man and a man of faith."

But Republican lawmakers Chip Roy and Thomas Massie have openly expressed their doubts about Mr. Johnson's leadership, and Mr. Trump ally and adviser Steve Bannon has called on Republicans to remove him from office.

"Mr. Johnson has been strongly criticized by his Republican colleagues. And he has an extremely narrow margin to secure the majority, a handful of people," Kevin Kosar from the American Enterprise Institute told VOA via Zoom.

Two years ago, when then-Congress began, Republican Kevin McCarthy faced similar challenges in his ambition to lead the House of Representatives.

He was elected after 15 rounds of voting.

Congress is expected to meet on January 6 to certify the victory of Mr. Donald Trump's presidential election, a process that cannot be carried out without the head of the House of Representatives.

Whoever leads, at least temporarily, will have an even narrower majority after President-elect Trump takes office on Jan. 20, as he has tapped two House Republicans to hold roles in his administration. .

Traditionally, the first 100 days of a new Presidency and Congress represent a period for an ambitious legislative agenda.

"The new president will focus on tariffs, the border, executive orders related to immigration and immigrants, especially those from Mexico and Muslim countries. And then he will try for every possible compromise to ensure the adoption of laws on issues related to the economy, food, as he prefers to call them," Casey Burgat, a professor at the university, told Voice of America via the Zoom platform. "George Washington"./ Voa