The victories of Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock in Georgia enshrine the dominance of the Democrats in the Senate for the next two years.
It is the first time in a decade that
that party will have control of both the White House and both houses of Congress
.
With the results from Georgia, each party has 50 seats and the elected vice president, Kamala Harris, is in charge of casting the vote for the tiebreaker.
One of the big changes is that the current Senate Minority Leader
Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York, will be the one who decides what happens in the Upper House
instead of Republican Mitch McConnell.
Schumer has said that Democratic control of the chamber "would be the biggest differentiator" in helping Biden implement his campaign plans.
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"The best way to ensure that a positive agenda can be realized and to provide assistance to working families in Georgia and across the country is to elect Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff to the Senate," Schumer said in a November statement, after Biden's victory in the presidential election.
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Jan. 6, 202100: 58
However, the Senate's control will be quite tight, which means that
Democrats will have to be resourceful to overcome the
filibuster
, a political procedure used in the Upper House to block laws
or unwanted nominations by those who constitute the minority.
Democrats will often rely on their more moderate senators, such as West Virginia's Joe Manchin and Arizona's Kyrsten Sinema.
Biden will be in the White House after January 20;
And while the Democratic majority in the House of Representatives, led by Nancy Pelosi, will work to pass his agenda, victories in Georgia's legislative race make a big difference to the incoming administration.
That allows for as long as Democrats stick together, budget bills to pass and can be confirmed to Supreme Court justices (none of those decisions can be hampered by the
filibuster
).
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Jan. 6, 202104: 07
Another element that put pressure on the new Administration is that a large part of the economic proposals that Biden made during the campaign were at stake, before the results of Georgia were known.
It's a bold and forward-thinking agenda, including
plans to lower medical costs, expand Medicare, create manufacturing jobs, and promote clean energy
, as well as raise taxes for the rich.
Many of those policies, as well as measures to accelerate a mass vaccination program and increase the economic stimulus package, may be included in a budget bill this year.
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But despite the victory, Biden will likely need varying levels of Republican support in the Senate to achieve his priorities.
It takes 60 votes to stop the
filibuster
obstructing the bills in the Senate, which means
the Democratic majority will need Republican support for most of the bills
.
One exception is the annual budget reconciliation process, which the Republican Party used in 2017 to pass its tax law with a majority vote.
The Senate can also confirm cabinet nominees and judges by simple majority.
Control of the chamber and its committees also allows the party to decide when to hold hearings and send a nomination to the Senate.
Although some Democrats have lobbied to end filibuster and expand the Supreme Court, Biden has yet to embrace any of those ideas.
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Jan. 6, 202102: 49
Other key issues to be defined in the new Senate are:
-The size of the next package of aid for COVID-19.
-The possibility that the next bill will include the Democratic priority of providing state and local aid, or if liability protections for businesses are passed, a priority of the Republican Party.
-Get the approval of the Cabinet nominees of the incoming government.
[Democrats gain control of the Senate, after Ossoff and Warnock's victories are confirmed]
The need for more help due to the pandemic
Biden has said another coronavirus relief package will be his priority when he takes office.
While Democrats could pass an aid bill with the support of the Republican Party, having a majority in the Senate helps them craft that proposal by prioritizing their initiatives.
Previously, McConnell could avoid a vote on the proposal that includes state and local government aid, a Democratic priority, or exclude liability protections for businesses, which Democrats oppose.
Biden on Monday linked the runoff to Washington's ability to send checks.
"If Jon [Ossoff] and the Reverend [Raphael Warnock] are sent to Washington,
the checks for $ 2,000 will pass, returning hope, decency and honor to the people who are struggling right now,
" he said.
Biden's economic recovery platform contemplates a series of measures that will be opposed by many Republicans such as increased taxes for corporations and the wealthiest Americans, as well as clean energy infrastructure projects (likely driven by major public funds).
Ossoff, Warnock and Biden at a January 4 rally in Georgia.
AFP via Getty Images / AFP via Getty Images
The president-elect has also pushed for a public insurance option,
but the vast majority of Republicans are opposed to adding more government health care plans, and some more conservative Democrats have not supported that idea either.
Additionally, Biden and Democratic congressional leaders want to raise the minimum wage from $ 7.25 to $ 15 an hour, a move most Republican lawmakers oppose.
So this victory in the Senate gives the incoming Administration breathing space, expanding its possibilities for pressure and negotiation, but it is not enough to guarantee that the Democratic agenda can be pushed forward without hindrance.
Now more than ever, dialogue and consultation, two qualities that Biden possesses after spending decades in Congress, will be very important to guarantee the urgent measures that the country needs in order to overcome the health and economic crisis generated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
With information from AP, NBC News, CNBC and The New York Times.
