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TexasProgresive

(12,677 posts) Wed Jan 6, 2021, 07:51 AM Jan 2021

A question just occurred to me on Senate Committees.

If I remember correctly in both the House and the Senate the party with the majority gets a majority of seats and the chair of the committees. With the Senate at 50/50 albeit with VP Harris as a tie breaker, how will that play out? Will the committees be 50% of each party or what?

This is a marvelous outcome in Georgia, but I really can't figure out how this will work. I was hoping for the Georgian runoff outcome and had not thought passed that.

6 replies

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A question just occurred to me on Senate Committees. (Original Post) TexasProgresive Jan 2021 OP

This message was self-deleted by its author Fullduplexxx Jan 2021 #1

I think there will be a 1 seat majority on each committee and the funding will be close. bottomofthehill Jan 2021 #2

My wife just corrected me bottomofthehill Jan 2021 #6

When Bush/Cheney we're first elected, Senate was 50/50 Roland99 Jan 2021 #3

The committees have odd numbers of people, don't they? LuvNewcastle Jan 2021 #4

From what I'm reading, the numbers each party gets aren't set by law Hortensis Jan 2021 #5

Response to TexasProgresive (Original post)

Fullduplexxx This message was self-deleted by its author.

bottomofthehill

(9,333 posts)

2. I think there will be a 1 seat majority on each committee and the funding will be close.

Reply to TexasProgresive (Original post)

Wed Jan 6, 2021, 07:56 AM

Jan 2021

They will have to pass a senate rules package that sets the rules and in that the committee ratios.

bottomofthehill

(9,333 posts)

6. My wife just corrected me

Reply to bottomofthehill (Reply #2)

Wed Jan 6, 2021, 08:16 AM

Jan 2021

The senate committee ratios did not plus 1 democrats until senator Jim jeffords left the Republican Party.

Roland99

(53,345 posts)

3. When Bush/Cheney we're first elected, Senate was 50/50

Reply to TexasProgresive (Original post)

Wed Jan 6, 2021, 07:58 AM

Jan 2021

Repukes controlled the senate, procedurally and in committees.

Edit: I was incorrect re: committees

https://bipartisanpolicy.org/blog/tied-senate-who-controls-a-50-50-chamber/

LuvNewcastle

(17,693 posts)

4. The committees have odd numbers of people, don't they?

Reply to TexasProgresive (Original post)

Wed Jan 6, 2021, 07:58 AM

Jan 2021

It seems like they should, if they don't. Then again, maybe they would want it to be hard for legislation to get out of committee, so I just don't know.

Hortensis

(58,785 posts)

5. From what I'm reading, the numbers each party gets aren't set by law

Reply to TexasProgresive (Original post)

Wed Jan 6, 2021, 08:01 AM

Jan 2021

or formal rule, but rather by negotiation between the party leaders and generally reflect whatever majority the majority party has. The last time there was a tie, 1990, that was done the same way, but the VP, Cheney, got to pick the committee chairs.

But, we don't get a Democratic VP until December 20! And until then Pence presides over the senate.

https://bipartisanpolicy.org/blog/tied-senate-who-controls-a-50-50-chamber/

(Btw, later in 1990, a Rep senator switched parties, creating a Democratic majority, and that meant all the Republican committee chairs were ousted and replaced with Democrats.)

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