Madeleine Ott ‘22
With the Democrats now officially at the helm of the Senate until at least the 2022 elections and Joe Biden in office, the future of the country looks bright with a long-awaited opportunity to pass meaningful legislation and return to bipartisanship. Prior to the two Georgia Senate runoff elections on January 5th earlier this year, Senate Republicans clung to a narrow 50 to 48 majority. With control of the Senate at stake, both Democratic candidates Reverend Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff emerged victorious in their respective races, creating a 50-50 split in the Senate with Vice-President Kamala Harris casting the tie-breaking vote in the case of a deadlock.
Photo courtesy of Ashley Kennedy.
On an immediate level, Democratic control of the Senate provides a clearer path for the plethora of initiatives championed by the new Biden Administration. Having already signed 17 executive orders on his first day in office, President Biden will inevitably look to work closely with the Democratic leadership in Congress to advance an aggressive agenda that includes tackling the pandemic, stabilizing the economy, raising the minimum wage, and confronting climate change. Ella Jordan ‘22 agrees, saying “Since we have a Democratic president, most things he wants to get passed will probably pass a lot more easily, since the Democrats now hold power in Congress and the presidency.”
The most crucial area of legislation the Biden Administration plans to advance is their response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Sabrina Burnetta ‘23 says “the most important thing the government can do for the country right now is to combat the pandemic with effective policy.” According to a Washington Post article titled Biden unveils $1.9 trillion economic and health-care relief package, the proposed coronavirus plan, dubbed the “American Rescue Plan,” includes direct payments to Americans, an expansion of testing, and a comprehensive vaccine distribution strategy, among other initiatives. Democratic control of the Senate will ensure that these concrete steps will finally be taken to prioritize the health and safety of the nation.
The current state of the Senate also offers hope for restoring unity and bipartisanship following the polarizing nature of the previous administration. Due to the 60-vote margin required to pass bills, a 50-50 split in the Senate demands significant compromise if we are to make any semblance of progress in this country. In light of the damage done by a devastating pandemic and divisive political climate, the next two years present a golden opportunity for the Senate to unify around legislation for the sake of our nation’s healing. Lee Burnett in the Classics Department agrees saying “There seem to be some early indications of a little more compromise, and if we can get back to more of a middle ground, I’m excited about some things getting done.” Given President Biden’s actionable policy proposals and continued emphasis on unity, there is hope that the Senate will rally around the president’s agenda, rekindle a sense of bipartisanship, and enact much needed change in our country.