The 117th Congress Takes Shape
Following a contentious election, the new 117th Congress was sworn in on January 3, 2021. Democrats now hold the slimmest of possible majorities in the Senate, with Democrat Senators-elect Reverend Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff winning their January 5 Georgia Senate run-off elections. Once they are sworn in, the Senate will be evenly divided between 50 Republicans and 50 Democrats (including two Independents who caucus with the Democrats). Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris will decide the outcome of any tied votes through her role as President of the Senate, giving Senate Democrats the voting majority. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) will be the next Senate Majority Leader, and Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) will be the Senate Minority Leader
In the House, Democrats retained the majority (222-111, with two seats vacant) and Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) will remain Speaker of the House. While Democrats now have a narrow legislative edge in both chambers, the two parties will still need to establish a power-sharing agreement for floor proceedings and the Senate will still need to assign committee seats. Assignments for other members to serve on the committees will likely be finalized in both the Senate and the House in the coming days, and NAHMA will provide further updates as committee assignments are announced. The full Congress, with Democrats in control of both chambers, will convene on January 20, 2021 when President-elect Biden is sworn in as the 46th President.
This political trifecta – where one party controls the White House, and both chambers of Congress – gives President-Elect Biden more room to enact his legislative agenda and push through legislation that faced significant roadblocks from the Republican-led Senate over the past few years. President-Elect Biden is facing pressure from the left of his party to pass bolder COVID-19 relief legislation and vowed during the campaign to pursue a $2,000 stimulus immediately after taking office. Additionally, holding the Senate majority makes it much easier for President-elect Biden’s Cabinet nominees during the confirmation process, including HUD Secretary Nominee, Representative Marcia Fudge (D-OH). NAHMA is planning to release a NAHMAnalysis on the 117th Congress: Who to Contact for Affordable Housing Policy as soon as all Congressional committee assignments have been announced.
Industry Group Discusses Rental Assistance with Key Housing Committee Staff
Earlier this week, NAHMA and several national associations that represent for-profit and non-profit owners, developers, managers, housing cooperatives, lenders and housing agencies involved in providing affordable rental and cooperative housing, held a conference call with key Congressional housing staff on COVID-19 and rental assistance. Staff from the House Financial Services Committee and from the Senate Banking Committee heard updates from affordable housing stakeholders on several issues, including how the $25 billion in rental assistance provided in the Emergency Rental Assistance program provided by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act will be implemented. The conference call also conveyed to Congressional staff the need for additional rental assistance, provided examples of efforts Congress can take to protect renters from losing their homes while also ensuring the owners’ ability to maintain the viability of the rental housing stock, and underscored the most immediate legislative and regulatory priorities for the new 117th Congress. NAHMA and industry group members also sent a joint-letter to the Department of Treasury and to the Department of Housing and Urban Development providing recommendations for implementation of the recent COVID-19 relief bill. The letter requests funding be allocated as quickly as possible and the need for a clear framework for implementation. To view the industry group letter on COID-19 Rental Assistance Implementation, click here.