January 4, 2005

Congress Reconvenes for 109th Session

The 109th Congress reconvened today, Tuesday, January 4 at 12:00 noon for the swearing in of new members and the election of leaders. In the Senate, Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn) is expected to retain his position and Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) is scheduled to be named Minority Leader, replacing Senator Tom Daschle who was defeated in his reelection bid. In the House, top leadership will remain the same as the previous Congress, with Rep. J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill) as Speaker, Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Tex) as Majority Leader, and Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif) as Minority Leader.

On Wednesday, January 5, the House will decide who chairs the House Appropriations Committee. Contenders include Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-Calif), Rep. Ralph Regula (R-Ohio) and Rep. Harold Rogers (R-Ky). On Thursday, January 6, a joint session of Congress will count the electoral ballots for President and several Senate committees will hold hearings on three cabinet nominations.

The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee is scheduled to consider and vote on the nomination of Carlos Guiterrez to be secretary of the U.S
The Senate Judiciary Committee will meet at 10:00 a.m. in 216 Hart Senate Office Building on the nomination of Alberto R. Gonzales to be attorney general.
The Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee will meet at 10:00 a.m. in 106 Dirksen Senate Office Building on the nomination of Governor Mike Johanns to be secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee will meet at 10:00 a.m. in 430 Dirksen Senate Office Building on the nomination of Margaret Spellings to be secretary of the U.S. Department of Education.

CONGRESSIONAL AGENDA:

The agenda for the new Congress is expected to include several of President Bush's priority issues, as well as stalled legislation from the 108th Congress and several reauthorization measures. Items include: Social Security reform, immigration reform, tax reform, tort reform (including class action, medical malpractice, and asbestos compensation), TEA-21 reauthorization, a re-write of the nation's telecommunications laws, welfare reform reauthorization, Head Start reauthorization, Vocational Education reauthorization, Medicaid reform, comprehensive energy legislation, an overhaul of bankruptcy laws, and reauthorization of some of the provisions within the USA Patriot Act, including the first responder funding formula.

The President's FY 2006 budget is scheduled to be released on Monday, February 7. A supplemental spending request for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, which may include aid to Asian countries hits by the tsunami is also expected by February.