It was obvious from the point when it took Rep Kevin McCarthy 15 roll call votes to win the Speakership that the 118th Congress was getting off to a rocky start.
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Only time will tell whether Congressional members can work across the aisle and enact policies that support, strengthen and benefit Americans. We’ll be watching carefully.
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But in the meantime, we thought it might be interesting to take a look at a few of the interesting people, pairings and personalities that will make – or break – the 118th Congress.
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Here are a Few of the People We’ve Got Our Eyes on This Congress
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1. Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) is returning to Natural Resources this year after Democrats stripped him of his committee assignments in the last Congress for posting an animated video that depicted the killing of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). Ocasio-Cortez is also joining the committee this year. Oddly enough, the pair may find common cause behind legislation that Gosar has championed for years – the Public Land Renewable Energy Development Act (PLREDA), which aims to hasten renewable energy development on public lands. The bill passed the House Natural Resources Committee unanimously in 2021 – no small feat for the oft-divided panel.
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2. Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) as he navigates the waters after his return to Appropriations, which he stepped away from for many years while serving as the No. 2 House Democrat. Hoyer raised a few eyebrows as he made his comeback, being named ranking member of the Financial Services and General Government subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee for the 118th Congress. After 35 years in House leadership, including two terms as majority leader, Hoyer is taking the top Democratic slot on a key appropriations subcommittee with a strong focus on acquisition, technology and the federal workforce, with his main priority as Ranking Member being to help steer the new FBI Headquarters to a site in Prince George’s County, which is located in his district.
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3. Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Chairwoman Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and new ranking member Ted Cruz (R-TX) may be the oddest couple atop any Senate committee. Cantwell is a no-nonsense legislator entrenched in the panel’s work, which spans telecommunications, fisheries and other issues that are crucial for her home state. Cruz on the other hand may see the Commerce panel as a forum for elevating his presidential aspirations, although he has a history of engagement on space policy, which is a key sector for the Lone Star State.
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4. Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) and Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) are the Chair and Ranking Member of the newly formed Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party. The two teamed up in the last Congress on legislation that bans TikTok from government devices, which was enacted in the year-end omnibus spending bill. Gallagher is worried about TikTok's ability to influence the flow of information that Americans see and share, saying "it can be used to influence the news, what people see and talk about, and, therefore, to interfere in our society and our politics and our very democracy. So I think we're nearing a very dangerous inflection point here."
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The 118th Congress will certainly keep everyone on their toes these next two years. For more of an in-depth look at policy priorities and committee work, check out our Guide to the 118th Congress, a comprehensive report highlighting key players and legislation for the U.S. House and Senate.