Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) speaks on January 26, 2021 during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol in Washington.
Al Drago | Reuters
Senate leaders have reached an agreement to hand over control of committees to Democrats, two weeks after the party took over the chamber, majority leader Chuck Schumer said Wednesday.
The New York Democrat has reached an agreement with Mitch McConnell, R-Ky, on an agreement on the sharing of power in a 50-50 split by the Senate. The two wrestled for weeks over how to structure the Senate rules, which left Republicans technically in control of committees deciding to proceed with nominations and legislation.
Schumer said the Senate will accept the organizational decision later Wednesday. Approval would mean that “committees can be set up immediately and get going with Democrats holding the hammer,” he added.
Republicans worked with Democrats to confirm several of President Joe Biden’s nominees while still having committee power. The Senate on Tuesday approved Transport Minister Pete Buttigieg and Home Security Minister Alejandro Mayorkas, who were confirmed by Biden’s six cabinet members.
Yet GOP control has threatened to delay the approval of at least one of Biden’s nominees. Leading Republican and Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Dick Durbin of Illinois, disagreed on the confirmation of the trial for nominated Attorney General Merrick Garland, respectively.
McConnell sought the assurance that the Democrats would not abolish the filibuster, which would pass any legislation by a majority vote. The disagreement became difficult when Democratic Sens Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Cinema of Arizona said they would not vote to get rid of the instrument.
The deal comes as Democrats try to approve a $ 1.9 billion coronavirus relief package to boost the health care system and economy. They have begun the budget reconciliation process, which enables them to approve a bill with only Democratic votes in the Senate.
A budget resolution that the chamber hopes to adopt this week instructs the chairmen of the committee to draw up provisions in the rescue package. Schumer and the incoming committee leaders plan to meet with Biden on Wednesday.
Incoming chairmen of the Senate Committee will include the following:
- Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio at the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee
- Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont on the Budget Committee
- Sen Ron Wyden of Oregon at the Finance Committee
- Sen. Patty Murray of Washington at the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
- Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington at the Commission on Trade
- Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia joins the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
- Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois at the Judicial Committee
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