A LOOK BACK AT THE 2020 ELECTIONS AND A PREVIEW OF THE 117TH CONGRESS DECEMBER 2020 Overview ore than 161 million Americans voted in this year’s elections, the highest turnout ever. Democrats have maintained control of the U.S. House of Representatives and won the White House, with Joe Biden M being sworn in as the 46th President of the United States on January 20, 2021. Control of the U.S. Senate will be determined by the results of two Georgia runoff races being held in January. Those election results will also determine whether there will be a divided federal government or if Democrats will control Congress and the White House. This report provides a recap of the election results in the Senate, House, and presidential election; House and Senate leadership of the 117th Congress; and the expected leadership of the committees of interest to public power. The Senate WA ME MT ND VT OR MN NH ID SD WI NY WY MI IA PA NE MA NV OH IN UT IL WV RI CA CO VA KS MO KY CT NC TN NJ AZ OK NM AR SC DE GA-II MS AL GA-III MD TX LA AK FL HI Democratic gain Democratic hold Republican gain Republican hold No election The Senate New Senators at a Glance Democrats Pictured above, from left to right, Senators Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) Republicans Pictured above, from left to right, Senators Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) Senate Democratic Leadership Senate Republican Leadership l Chuck Schumer (D-NY) – Democratic Leader l Mitch McConnell (R-KY) – Republican Leader l Dick Durbin (D-IL) – Democratic Whip l John Thune (R-SD) – Republican Whip l Patty Murray (D-WA) – Assistant Leader l John Barrasso (R-WY) – Republican Conference Chair l Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) – Chair of Democractic Policy l Roy Blunt (R-MO) – Republican Policy Committee Chair and Communications Committee l Joni Ernst (R-IA) – Republican Conference Vice Chair l Joe Manchin (D-WV) – Vice Chair of Democractic Policy l Rick Scott (R-FL) – Chair of National Republican and Communications Committee Senatorial Committee l Cory Booker (D-NJ) – Vice Chair of Democractic Policy and Communications Committee l Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) – Vice Chair of the Conference l Mark Warner (D-VA) – Vice Chair of the Conference l Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) – Chair of Steering Committee l Bernie Sanders (D-VT) – Chair of Outreach l Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-NV) – Vice Chair of Outreach l Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) – Conference Secretary The Senate Republicans defended 23 seats and Democrats defended Senate Commerce, Science, 12 seats this cycle. Incumbent Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO), & Transportation Committee Martha McSally (R-AZ), and Doug Jones (D-AL) lost reelection Public power issues under its jurisdiction: captive rail, this November. Senators Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Mike Enzi (R- communications (i.e., pole attachments and spectrum), drones, WY), Pat Roberts (R-KS), and Tom Udall (D-NM) did not seek and grid security. reelection in 2020. If Republicans maintain their majority, Senator Roger Wick- Two Senate races in Georgia, in seats currently held by Repub- er (R-MS) will retain the chairmanship. Senator Maria Cantwell lican Senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, will be decided in (D-WA) will remain the ranking member on the committee (or a January runoff after no candidate secured the needed 50 percent become the chair if the Senate is controlled by Democrats). of the vote threshold to win the seat outright. The top two finish- ers advanced to the January runoff. Senator David Perdue is being Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee challenged by Democrat Jon Ossoff – Senator Perdue received Public power issues under its jurisdiction: reliability, Fed- 49.7 percent and Ossoff received 47.9 percent of the vote in the eral Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), transmission plan- November general election. In the other Georgia race, Senator ning, grid security, Power Marketing Administrations (PMAs), Kelly Loeffler is being challenged by Democrat Raphael Warnock hydropower, distributed energy resources, and interstate natural – Senator Loeffler received 25.9 percent while Warnock received gas pipeline permitting. 32.9 percent of the vote in the November general election. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) has announced he will re- The outcome of these two races will determine which party linquish his chairmanship of the Senate Environment & Public controls the U.S. Senate. Works Committee to become the top Republican on the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) is term-limited out as chairman and ranking member. Senator Key Senate Committees — Joe Manchin (D-WV) will remain as the ranking member on the Leadership and Agenda1 committee (or become the chair if Democrats win the majority). Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, Senate Environment & Public Works Committee and Forestry Committee Public power issues under its jurisdiction: Clean Air Act, Public power issues under its jurisdiction: swaps and de- Clean Water Act, Environmental Protection Agency regulations, rivatives regulation (Commodities Futures Trading Commission). Endangered Species Act, Nuclear Regulatory Commission/nuclear Given Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS) is retiring, Senator John issues, transportation issues, Resource Conservation and Recovery Boozman (R-AR) will likely succeed him as the top Republican on Act, Water Resources Development Act, and Tennessee Valley the committee. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) will remain the Authority. ranking member (or become chair if Democrats are in the majori- Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) will likely replace ty in the 117th Congress). current Chair John Barrasso, who announced he will relinquish his chairmanship of the committee to become the lead Republican on Senate Appropriations Committee the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee. Senator Tom Public power issues under its jurisdiction: annual spend- Carper (D-DE) will remain the ranking member on the committee ing bills and appropriations bills for federal agencies. (or become chair if the Senate is controlled by Democrats). If Republicans maintain their majority, Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) will remain the chairman and Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) will remain the ranking member (or become chair if the Senate is controlled by Democrats). 1 Senate Republicans and Democrats have not selected committee leadership assignments yet. The Senate Senate Finance Committee Looking Ahead to 2021 Public power issues under its jurisdiction: tax-exempt fi- (and Beyond) nancing, tax reform, Build America Bonds (BABs), and renewable energy tax credits. If Republicans hold a narrow majority in the Senate, they are If Republicans remain in control of the Senate, Senator Mike likely to first consider bipartisan bills, focused on infrastructure Crapo (R-ID) will likely replace current chairman Charles Grassley and economic stimulus. If Democrats gain control of the Sen- (R-IA), who can no longer remain chairman due to term limits. ate, they could attempt to end the filibuster, which would have Ron Wyden (D-OR) will remain ranking member. Should the wide-ranging implications on how the Senate operates. However, Democrats win the majority, Senator Wyden would chair the the prospects of this are low. committee. In 2022, Republicans will be defending 21 seats while Demo- crats will be defending 13 seats. Republican Senators Pat Toomey Senate Homeland Security and Governmental (R-PA) and Richard Burr (R-NC) have already announced they Affairs Committee do not intend to seek reelection in 2022. Other incumbents, such Public power issues under its jurisdiction: grid security, as Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), could also announce plans to information sharing, and space weather. retire. Regardless of which party controls the Senate in the 117th If Republicans retain their majority, Senator Ron Johnson Congress, there will be a fierce and expensive battle for control of (R-WI) will remain chairman of the committee and Senator Gary the Senate in the 118th Congress. Peters (D-MI) will remain the ranking member (or become chair if Democrats are the majority in the 117th Congress). U.S. House of Representatives While Democrats have retained control of the U.S. House of Representatives, Republicans have netted a gain of nine seats thus far in the 117th Congress. Democrats have won 222 seats while Republicans have won 211 seats of the House races that have been called by the Associated Press. Two seats have not been called yet, including one in Iowa and one in New York. U.S. House of Representatives Democratic Leadership Key Committees in the l Presumptive Speaker of the House – Nancy Pelosi (CA) House of Representatives – (The full House will hold a floor vote in January to elect this Leadership and Agenda position.) l Majority Leader – Steny Hoyer (D-MD) House Agriculture Committee l Majority Whip – Jim Clyburn (D-SC) Public power issues under its jurisdiction: swaps and de- l Assistant Speaker – Katherine Clark (D-MA) rivatives regulation (Commodities Futures Trading Commission). l Democratic Caucus Chair – Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) David Scott (D-GA) will replace Collin Peterson (D-MN), who l Democratic Caucus Vice Chair – Pete Aguilar (D-CA) lost his reelection, as chair of the committee. Glenn Thompson (R-PA) will serve as the top Republican on the committee; current l Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) Ranking Member Michael Conaway (R-TX) is retiring. Chair –Tony Cárdenas (D-CA) l Democratic Policy & Communications Committee Co-Chairs: House Energy & Commerce (E&C) Committee Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Matt Cartwright Public power issues under its jurisdiction: Clean Air Act, (D-PA), and Joe Neguse (D-CO) oversight of the Environmental Protection Agency, Nuclear Reg- l Caucus Leadership Representative (Members serving five terms ulatory Commission/nuclear issues, communications (i.e., pole at- or fewer) – Mondaire Jones (D-NY) tachments and spectrum), hydropower, Toxic Substances Control Act, energy issues, and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.