Return to Divided Government Forecasted in Midterm Elections
Washington, D.C. has been quiet throughout October, with Congress out campaigning in advance of the quickly approaching midterm elections. As most projections show Republicans likely to take control of at least one chamber of Congress and President Biden remaining in office regardless of the election outcomes, the SIOP advocacy team has been planning for a return to divided government. While Republicans are favored to win back the House of Representatives, which has been controlled by Democrats since 2019, control of the Senate is considered a toss-up between the two parties.
Congressional Republicans are expected to prioritize oversight of the Biden Administration and federal agencies, particularly regarding COVID-19 policies and student loan forgiveness. On research, Republicans generally favor investment in the Departments of Defense and Energy. A return to divided government will also require Congress to focus on passing legislation in areas of bipartisan agreement, which could include mental health legislation and a reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), which impacts most workforce development and jobs training programs at the federal level. Lewis-Burke will provide a detailed analysis of the election, including specific outcomes for congressional committees relevant to SIOP, in our next edition of the Washington InfO newsletter.