THE ELEPHANT IN THE CAPITOL: 119th CONGRESS

The anxious shadow of the 2024 presidential election has obscured the election that will probably have a more direct effect on us: the U.S. Congressional election. Republicans have won a majority in Congress. When, like this upcoming term, Congress is controlled by one party, there are often great impacts to be felt. Without much contest on bill votes, it is very easy for the controlling party to pump out legislation that is favorable to them.

Project 2025

It is likely that you have heard of Project 2025. It is a set of goals sponsored by some Republican lawmakers written during Biden’s presidency to be put in effect if Trump won this year. Trump has won this election, and, more importantly, Republicans have secured Congress. Some of the most outspoken plans for future legislation can be found in Project 2025’s Mandate for Leadership. Following are some summaries of these plans.

The Presidency

Russ Vought—a former budget advisor for the White House—in the second chapter of Mandate for Leadership, complains that the powers of the presidency are diluted by government agencies and organizations. Vought later complains that the current president, Biden, has too much power, and uses a quote from James Madison’s Federalist Papers to imply that the current stature of the presidency is tyrannical. 

Vought suggests, in accordance with his first complaint and in contradiction to his second, that various government agencies that guide the president should be removed or given less power. These agencies include the Council on Environmental Quality and the Gender Policy Council (a group that advises the president on how to promote gender equality).

Public Education

A simple summary of Project 2025’s views on public education can be found in the first sentence of the eleventh chapter—written by Lindsey Burke, a former Kentucky state legislator—where it says, “Federal education policy should be limited and, ultimately, the federal Department of Education should be eliminated” (Burke 319).

Burke explains that Project 2025 believes schools should not be punished for unequal discipline based on race, that schools should not accept gender identity at variance to their students’ biological sexes, and that schools should not be punished for gender inequality.

Burke continues by listing a series of regulations that Project 2025 believes should be removed or “rolled back.” These include:

-Title IX, which requires equal treatment by gender in public schools

-Equity in IDEA, which provides federal funding for the education of students with disabilities

-CRDC, a required survey that enforces equal civil rights in public schools

-Regulations that require the teaching of any subject that opposes any religious belief

Some things that Burke believes should be implemented include:

-Budget cuts for public education programs

-The weakening of various student loan programs

-The undoing of any “Biden-era” public education policies

-The elimination of federal funding for any postsecondary education institution except Historically Black Colleges and Universities and “tribally controlled” colleges

Of course, Project 2025 is not supported by every Republican congressperson, but its views are shared and supported by various legislators. Because of this, it is possible that Project 2025’s advice regarding Congress will be taken by lawmakers over the next congressional term. 

Iowa

Ernst  

Iowa senator Joni Ernst was uncontested for re-election this term, so she will retain that office. Among her priorities—which you can find on ernst.senate.gov—is “the protection of the unborn.” According to Ernst’s website, she has, “supported a number of measures to protect the sanctity of life at every stage, safeguard women’s health, and shine a light on the horrific realities of abortion.” 

Ernst also pledges to work to give more power to states when it comes to public education. This aligns with Project 2025’s plan. Removing federal policies on public education could lead to significant changes to schools across the country.

Grassley

Iowa senator Chuck Grassley was also uncontested this time around. Some of his objectives or priorities—which can be deduced from remarks on grassley.senate.gov—include:

-Supporting Israel

-“Punishing” Russia

-Limiting abortion access

-Exterminating venomous snakes in Guam

-Stopping “Big Tech” from “silencing conservatives”

Less controversial priorities shared by Ernst and Grassley are lowering prescription drug prices, improving national cybersecurity, and lowering frivolous government spending.

Miller-Meeks

Marianette Miller-Meeks was re-elected to represent Iowa’s first congressional district—which includes Johnson County—in the House of Representatives this term.

Her priorities don’t differ much from the usual political pledges made by both primary parties. Some priorities listed on millermeeks.house.gov include:

GRAPHIC OF THE WHITEHOUSE AND THE DURATION OF CONGRESS; GRAPHIC BY BENJAMIN BRENNER

-Lowering drug prices

-Strengthening the economy

-Reducing inflation

-Strengthening the southern border

Conclusion 

While it is impossible to predict what legislation will be pushed this term, there are some politicians outwardly claiming what they will work to put into law. Among the foremost of these politicians are the co-authors of Project 2025’s Mandate for Leadership. This work, obviously, is on the more extreme side of the conservative spectrum. Many Republican legislators don’t agree with some or many of its goals, but many also do. Our next Congress will likely be able to make a lot of progress toward the Republican party’s goals. With the chambers working in synchronization with each other and the executive branch, it will probably write up and pass plenty of bills that will change, at least, the finer details of our lives, and, at most, the foundation of our society.

Cited

“Issues | Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks.” Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks, 2021

“Priorities | U.S. Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa.” Senate.gov, Joni Ernst, 2024

“Remarks | U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa.” Senate.gov, Chuck Grassley, 2024

The Heritage Foundation. Project 2025 PRESIDENTIAL TRANSITION PROJECT. 2023