Senate 111Th Congress: Senate 1 2 2

Perspectives on the 111 th Congress

Claudia Copeland Congressional Research Service December 4, 2008 U.S. House of Representatives

Democrats gained 22 seats in the 2008 election; 5 races are undecided

110th Congress: House 111th Congress: House

5

Democrats Democrats 175 202 RbliRepu blicans 233 Republicans 255 Undecided U.S. Senate

Democrats gained 7 seats in the 2008 election; 1 race is undecided

110th Congress: Senate 111th Congress: Senate 1 2 2

Democrats Democrats Republicans 49 Republicans 41 49 56 Independents Independents Undecided Senate Environment and Public Works Committee

Committee ratio: 10-9 Majjyority Committee Members Minority Committee Members

Barbara Boxer, CA James Inhofe, OK Max Baucus, MT John Warner, VA Joseph I. Lieberman, CT George Voinovich, OH Thomas R. Carper, DE Johnny Isakson, GA Hillary Rodham Clinton, NY David Vitter, LA Frank R . Lautenberg , NJ John Barrasso , WY Benjamin L. Cardin, MD Larry Craig, ID Bernard Sanders, VT Lamar Alexander, TN Amy Klobuchar, MN Christopp,her S. Bond, MO Sheldon Whitehouse, RI Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee

Committee ratio: 12-11

Majority Committee Members Minority Committee Members

Jeff Bingaman, NM Pete Domenici, NM Daniel Akaka , HI Larry Craig , ID Byron Dorgan, ND Lisa Murkowski, AK Ron Wyden, OR Richard Burr, NC Tim Johnson, SD Jim DeMint, SC May Landrieu, LA Bob Corker , TN Maria Cantwell, WA John Barrasso, WY Ken Salazar, CO Jeff Sessions, AL Robert Menendez, NJ Gordon Smith, OR Blanche Lincoln, AR Jim Bunning, KY Bernard Sanders, VT Mel Martinez, FL Jon Tester, MT Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee

Committee ratio: 12-11

Majjyority Committee Members Minority Committee Members

[Daniel Inouye, HI] Kay Bailey Hutchison, TX John Rockefeller, IV, WV Ted Stevens, AK John F. Kerry, MA John McCain, AZ Byron Dorgan, ND Olympia Snowe, ME Barbara Boxer, CA Gordon Smith, OR Bill Nelson, FL John Ensign, NV Maria Cantwell, WA John Sununu, NH Frank Lautenberg, NJ Jim DeMint, SC Mark Pryor, AR David Vitter, LA Thomas Carper, DE John Thune, SD Claire McCaskill , MO Roger Wicker, MS Amy Klobuchar, MN House Transportation and Infrastructure Water Reso urces and En vironment Su bcommittee Full committee ratio: 41-34; Subcommittee ratio: 22-17

M ajo rity Subcom m ittee M em bers M inority Subcommittee M embers

Eddie Bernice-Johnson, TX John Boozman, AR Gene Taylor, M S John D uncan, TN Brian Baird, WA W ayne Gilchrest, M D Jerry C ostello, IL Vernon Ehlers , MI M I Tim othy Bishop, N Y Frank LoBiondo, NJ Brian Higgins, NY Gary Miller, CA Russ Carnahan, MO Robin Hayes, NC John T. Salazar, CO Henry E. Brown, Jr., SC Mazie Kirono, HI Todd R ussell Platts, P A H eath Shuler, NC B ill Shuster, P A H arry M itchell, AZ Connie M ack, FL John J. H all, N Y John R. “Randy” Kuhl, NY Steve Kagen, WI Charles Boustany, LA Jerry M cN erney, C A Jean Schmidt, OH Eleanor H o l mes N ort on, DC CdiMillMIC andice Miller, MI B ob Filner, C A Thelm a Drake, VA Ellen Tauscher, C A John L. Mica, FL (ex officio) M ichael Capuano, M A Grace Napolitano, C A M ichael Arcuri, NY N Y Donna Edwards, MD Jam es L. O berstar, M N (ex officio) House Natural Resources Committee

Committee ratio: 27-22

Majority Committee Members Minority Committee Members

N ick R aha ll, W V Don Young, AK D ale Kild ee, M I Jim Saxton, NJ E n i F aleom av aeg a, A S Elton Gallegly, CA Neil Abercrom bie, HI John Duncan, TN S o lom o n O rtiz, T X W ayne Gilchrest, MD Frank Pallone, NJ Chris Cannon, UT Donna Christensen, VI Thomas Tancredo, CO Grace Napolitano, CA Jeff F lake, AZ R u sh Ho lt, N J Stevan Pearce, N M R au l G rijalva, AZ Henry Brown, SC M ad elein e Bor dallo, G U Luis Fortuno, PR Jim Costa, C A Cathy McMorris Rodgers, WA DBD an B oren, OK LiGhL ouie G o h mert tTX, TX Jo h n S arban es, M D Tom Cole, O K G eo rge M iller, C A Rob Bishop, UT Edw ard M arkey, M A Bill S hu ster, P A Peter DeFazio, OR Bill S ali, ID Maurice Hinchey, N Y Doug Lamborn, CO Patrick Kennedy , RI MMary ar y Fallin , OK O K Ron Kind, WI Adrian Sm ith, N E Lois Capps, C A R o b er t W ittm an , V A Jay Inslee, W A Steve Scalise, LA Mark Udall, CO Joe Baca, CA Hilda S o lis, CA Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, SD Heath Shuler, NC House Energy and Commerce Committee

 Committee change not directly made by the voters on November 4, but resulting from subseqqyuent action by House Democrats:

 Rep. Henry Waxman (CA) will replace Rep. John Dingell (MI) as chairman

 Likelyyg to mean greater attention to climate change, clean air protection, fuel efficiency, and energy conservation measures Likely Priorities in the 111th Congress

 Water infrastructure “2-step”

 Investments to support economic stimulus for Obama’s number 1 ppyriority: economic recover y

 Program changes some time later

 Climate change, climate change, climate change

 Everything else What is Everything Else?

 A long list of issues and items overdue for legislative attention, or recommendations for action from interest ggproups

 There is no shortage of policy recommendations from think tanks, academics, interest groups for the Obama Administration and Congress

 Obama campaign environmental policy priorities emphasized climate change What is Everything Else? (cont.)

 Some likely legislative priorities:

 Clean Water Act jurisdiction (what is meant by “navigable waters”) in response to SWANCC, Rapanos Supreme Court rulings

 Great Lakes restoration, protection

 Water Resources Development Act

 Reinvigorating resources of federal agencies The First 100 Days

 What announcements or actions will the Obama Administration take in the first 100 days?

 What actions will Congress take in the first 100 days?