A few days after the November mid-term elections, NASBP published its legislative news alert, Focal Point, which predicated Republicans gaining control of the U.S. House 222-213.

After the dust has finally settled and nearly all the votes have been counted, that prediction was very close. The current makeup for the 118th session in the House will be 222 Republicans, 212 Democrats, and one vacancy after the passing of Rep. Donald McEachin (D-VA-4th).

In anticipation of the House swinging to Republican control, the House Leadership in September released the “Commitment to America,” a legislative agenda focused on four key principles: (1) The Economy (fighting inflation/strengthening the supply chain); (2) A Nation that is safe (secure borders); (3) A Future that is Built on Freedom (make sure children can succeed and parents have a voice); and (4) A Government that is Accountable (preserving constitutional freedoms). Republicans plan to take this agenda on the road and present it to the voters early next year.

While House Republicans have yet to formally announce committee chairs for the 118th Congress, there is a strong likelihood that U.S. House of Representative Sam Graves (R-MO-6th) will become Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee. Graves has been a member of the T&I Committee since he was first elected to Congress in 2001 and currently serves as the Committee’s Republican Ranking Member. Since the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which he and 200 other House Republicans did not support, Graves has been skeptical of the Biden Administration’s implementation of the law and particularly a December 2021 policy memo issued by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) urging local and state governments to prioritize climate-friendly infrastructure projects and to dedicate funding towards the maintenance of existing roads and bridges rather than expanding capacity. Congressman Graves and many other U.S. House of Representatives and Senate Republicans view FHWA’s directive as running afoul of the law.

Under his leadership the T&I Committee is expected to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which is set to expire in 2023. As a licensed pilot, Graves will provide a unique prospective and professional experience while offering important policy changes expected to address airline safety, flight standards, workforce protections, and retention. The Committee is also expected to conduct hearings on the current permitting process, which was re-established under the One Federal Decision, designed to streamline the federal environmental review permitting process required for infrastructure projects of a certain size under the National Environmental Protection Act.

While both parties will meet later this month to determine who will chair respective House Committees, here is a potential list of those members vying for the position of Chair and Ranking Member on the committees of interest to NASBP:
Appropriations: Chair, Kay Granger (R-TX); Ranking Member, Rosa DeLauro (D-CT);
Armed Services: Chair, Mike Rogers (R-AL); Ranking Member, Adam Smith (D-WA);
Budget: Chair, Llyod Smucker (R-PA), Jodey Arrington (R-TX), Buddy Carter (R-GA), and Jason Smith (R-MO); Ranking Member, Brian Higgins (D-NY) and Brendan Boyle (D-PA);
Energy and Commerce: Chair, Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA); Ranking Member, Frank Pallone (D-NJ);
Financial Services: Chair, Patrick McHenry (R-NC); Ranking Member, Maxine Waters (D-CA);
Judiciary: Chair, Jim Jordan (R-OH); Ranking Member, Jerry Nadler (D-NY);
Oversight and Reform: Chair, Jim Comer (R-KY); Ranking Member, Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Gerry Connolly (D-VA), and Jamie Raskin (D-MD);
Small Business: Chair, Roger Williams (R-TX) and Pete Stauber (R-MN); Ranking Member, Nydia Velazquez (D-NY); Transportation and Infrastructure: Chair, Sam Graves (R-MO); Ranking Member, Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Rick Larsen (D-WA);
Veterans’ Affairs: Chair, Mike Bost (R-IL); Ranking Member, Mark Takano (D-CA);
Ways and Means: Chair, Vern Buchanan (R-FL), Adrian Smith (R-NE), and Jason Smith (R-MO); Ranking Member, Richard Neal (D-MA).

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Chamber, when the first session of 118th Congress convenes on January 3, 2023, Democrats will hold a two-seat majority (52-48), including independents, after incumbent Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA) defeated challenger Hershel Walker in the Georgia Senate runoff contest. Because the Democrats retained control in the Senate, respective Committee Chairs and Ranking Members will not change. However, because neither party has a significant majority in either chamber, compromise will be required in order to advance any piece of major legislation and to avoid legislative gridlock. Senate Democrats in the 118^th are likely to focus their energies on judicial nominees (only a simple majority vote needed to advance judges). There may be an opportunity, however, to pass bipartisan comprehensive legislation on such proposals as an omnibus, multi-year Farm bill, cannabis reform, and education reform. Democrats will seek to increase funding for federal loan programs, while Republicans will focus on expanding career and technical/vocational educational opportunities.

Upcoming NASBP Events
January 12, 2023 NASBP Panel Discussion on Midterm Results 
On January 12, NASBP will host a panel discussion on the midterm elections where representatives of four leading associations will discuss the midterm election results and will contemplate what might be in store for the next session of Congress. Larry LeClair will moderate the discussion and his guests will include Dana Thompson with the Women Construction Owners & Executives; John “JB” Byrd with the National Society of Professional Surveyors; Mike Oscar with the American Subcontractors Association; and Jordan Howard with the Associated General Contractors of America. Registration will open soon for this virtual event. Pictured clockwise from top left: Thompson, Byrd, Oscar, LeClair, and Howard.

In-person March 29-30 Legislative Fly-in
For the first time in over two years, an in-person Legislative Fly-in will be held March 29 and 30, 2023. March 29 will include an opening reception at the host hotel, Kimpton The George, just a few blocks from the Capitol. Capitol Hill meetings will occur throughout the day on March 30 and will be arranged for attendees by an outside consultant. Registration for the hotel and the Fly-in will be announced soon. The House is expected later this month to adopt a new rules package that govern operations for the 118^th session of Congress, which will likely include ending remote/proxy voting, removing magnetometers outside the House Chamber, and opening congressional buildings to visitors. Registration for the Fly-in will open in 2023.