Hours after the final race for a seat in the House of Representatives was called for California Democrat Adam Gray, likely narrowing the GOP’s majority in the chamber to two seats, both parties previewed their priorities Wednesday. 


What You Need To Know

  • The GOP House of Representatives agenda for Trump's first 100 days is "going to be very aggressive," House Majority Leader Mike Johnson said Wednesday

  • GOP leaders are focused on immigration reform, wasteful government spending and tax policies

  • House Democrats say they want to work with Republicans to cut taxes for working families and to make the tax code more fair

  • Democrats urged Republican lawmakers "not to overreaach," despite winning control of the White House, House of Representatives and Senate

With just 47 days until President-elect Donald Trump is inaugurated, taking control of a coveted federal trifecta with GOP control of the White House, Senate and House of Representatives, here is a look at both parties’ agendas for the lower chamber of Congress.

Republicans plan aggressive agenda for Trump's first 100 days

Americans can expect “significant results form a pro-growth and pro-family policy,” House Republican Conference Vice Chair Blake Moore said.

Implementing immigration reform, addressing wasteful government spending and crafting tax policies are “what we will achieve when we work with President Trump and the Senate to hit the ground running” next year, the Utah congressman said.

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., said he is looking forward to the resignation of Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler, who he said “will undoubtedly go down as the worst SEC chair in the history of this country” for “pushing American firms into the hands of the Chinese Community Party” and “waging war on the crypto industry.” 

Trump on Tuesday named Paul Atkins, CEO of a risk management consultancy firm and a former SEC commissioner, as his pick to lead the agency. Speaking before the announcement, Emmer said, “With our first pro-crypto commander in chief, the SEC will work for the American people again, not against them.”

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., said the GOP’s leadership is not waiting until Inauguration Day and is already “working very closely” with the Trump transition team. He said they are focused on delivering lower energy costs, greater border security, tax cuts and “getting rules and regulations under control so that the massive alphabet soup of federal agencies don’t wake up every day trying to figure out how to shut down American manufacturers.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said, “The first 100 days agenda is going to be very aggressive.”

Republicans won 220 House seats compared to 215 by Democrats. But the resignation of Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., and Trump's selections of Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., for United Nations ambassador and Mike Waltz, R-Fla., for national security adviser will leave the GOP with just a two-vote majority shortly after Trump takes office.

Democrats stress bipartisanship

In the near term, the Democratic House leadership is focused on funding for the federal government before Trump takes office. 

“We’re ready to pass a government funding bill with no drama, no partisan policy writers and no surprises,” House Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar said, adding that funding will run out in just 16 days. “We want to see urgent disaster aid to communities that need it, and we want to pass a defense bill that strengthens military readiness. We can do all of these things if Republicans roll up their sleeves and work with us.”

GOP and Democratic leaders in both the House and Senate are currently negotiating a funding bill to keep the government open past the Dec. 20 deadline.

Once the new Congress is in session early next year, Aguilar said, “We want to work with Republicans to cut taxes for working families and make the tax code more fair, but we’re not going to be able to find common ground if the only solution that Republicans propose is to cut taxes for billionaires and big corporations.”

Acknowledging the Republican majority in the executive branch and both chambers of the legislative branch of government, Aguilar said they “do not have a mandate to chase the most extreme voices in their conference. They have a mandate from the American people to work with us to make their lives better.”

Caucus Vice Chair Ted Lieu urged Republicans “not to overreach.”