Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) speaks during a press conference at the US Capitol in Washington on January 26, 2021.
Al Drago | Reuters
Senate leaders reached an agreement to transfer control of the committees to the Democrats, two weeks after the party took control of the chamber, majority leader Chuck Schumer said on Wednesday.
The New York Democrat reached an agreement with minority leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., On how to divide power in a 50-50 Senate split. The two argued for weeks about how to structure the Senate rules, technically leaving Republicans in control of the committees that decide when to move forward with nominations and legislation.
Schumer said the Senate would pass the organizational resolution on Wednesday. The approval will mean that “committees can readily establish themselves and start working with Democrats holding the hammer,” he added.
Republicans worked with Democrats to confirm several of President Joe Biden’s nominees while they still held power on the committee. The Senate approved Transport Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Tuesday, giving Biden six cabinet members confirmed by the chamber.
Even so, control of the Republican Party threatened to delay the approval of at least one of Biden’s nominees. The main Republican and Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Dick Durbin of Illinois, respectively, disagreed on when to hold a confirmation hearing for Merrick Garland, the attorney general’s candidate.
The deal comes at a time when Democrats are trying to approve a $ 1.9 trillion coronavirus aid package to boost the health care system and the economy. They started the budgetary reconciliation process, which will allow them to pass a bill with only Democratic votes in the Senate.
A budget resolution, which the House hopes to pass this week, instructs committee chairs to write the provisions of the bailout package. Schumer and the new committee leaders plan to meet with Biden on Wednesday.
This story is developing. Please check again for updates.
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