The Constitution requires Congress to convene on January 3 at midday ET — the rationale for the uncommon Sunday session. Newly elected and returning members will take the oath of workplace and the complete House of Representatives will vote to elect a brand new Speaker. Nancy Pelosi, who has
served as House speaker in the 116th Congress, is
on track to stay in the function.
House Democrats saved management of the House in the November elections, however will now have
a narrower majority after struggling a string of losses, regardless of projections that they’d win extra seats. House Republicans, in the meantime, outperformed expectations and are actually poised to add
a significant number of GOP women to their ranks in the brand new Congress.
In the Senate, the steadiness of energy nonetheless has but to be determined with all eyes on a pair of
Senate runoff elections going down in Georgia on January 5 that can decide which occasion controls the chamber.
The incoming class of freshmen contains high-profile Democrats and Republicans who’ve already
gained national attention even earlier than setting foot in Congress.
In the House, a slate of progressive Democrats who took down incumbents in major challenges will be a part of the brand new Congress, together with Cori Bush of Missouri, who ousted congressman Lacy Clay in a significant upset and
Jamaal Bowman of New York, who defeated the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Eliot Engel.
Other incoming members who have already got a nationwide profile embody Republicans
Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, who grew to become broadly recognized for a monitor file of incendiary rhetoric and ties to the baseless QAnon conspiracy concept, and
Ronny Jackson of Texas, President Donald Trump’s former chief doctor.
In the Senate, former Colorado governor
John Hickenlooper will function a brand new Democratic senator from Colorado and former Auburn University soccer coach
Tommy Tuberville will change into a brand new Republican senator from Alabama.
Alex Padilla will be one other new senator in the brand new Congress after California Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed him to fill Vice President-elect Kamala Harris’ Senate seat. Harris and President-elect Joe Biden will be sworn in on January 20 through the presidential inauguration.
Mark Kelly, a retired Navy captain and NASA astronaut, a brand new Democratic senator from Arizona, was sworn in through the month of December after successful a particular election.
The first day of the brand new Congress will look a bit completely different this 12 months with security precautions in place to reply to the coronavirus pandemic.
The variety of senators sworn in at a time will be smaller to decrease crowding and senators are anticipated to take their oaths of workplace in teams of two to enable for social distancing.
Representatives may also be sworn in by teams, although the dimensions will be far bigger given what number of extra House members there are, with members-elect to be sworn in first.
Newly elected lawmakers usually carry a number of relations to witness their swearing in and be a part of pictures commemorating the event. This 12 months, although, members-elect will be permitted to have just one member of the family in the House gallery to watch the proceedings.
After the vote to elect a House speaker takes place, the brand new Speaker will administer the oath to members.
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