Results of Presidential Election Expected Soon
BU IN DC
Pardee School of Global Studies Dean Adil Najam spoke on a panel celebrating the 75th anniversary of the United Nations along with Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA) on October 21.
The BU School of Public Health’s Department of Environmental Health hosted a forum on the intersection of medical research and climate change policy with staff from the offices of Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) and Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA) on October 22.
Danielle Citron of the School of Law participated in a panel discussion on internet privacy laws featuring Reps.Yvette Clark (D-NY) and Mike Doyle (D-PA) on October 23.
RESULTS OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION EXPECTED SOON
With several states still counting ballots from Tuesday’s elections, Vice President Joe Biden is confident he will receive the more than the 270 electoral votes needed to become President of the United States on January 20, 2021. However, President Donald J. Trump has filed legal challenges to the ballot counting process in several states and indicated he will request recounts in others. Electoral vote results must be certified by December 14, 2020. Should Biden emerge victorious, his plans to focus on economic recovery, climate science, and reversing recent changes to immigration policy may be stymied by a closely divided Congress.
Find out more about the electoral college
SENATE CONTROL UNCLEAR; DEMOCRATS RETAIN HOUSE
At least four Senate races remain too close to call following Tuesday’s Congressional elections, leaving control of the chamber for next year up in the air. One prominent science advocate, Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO), lost his seat, while another, Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), retained his. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) will return to Congress as its only New England Republican after a hard-fought race.
In the U.S. House of Representatives, Democrats will return in 2021 with a smaller majority following the loss of several incumbents. The Massachusetts Congressional delegation will have one new member: Democrat Representative-elect Jake Auchincloss won the vacant 4th Congressional District seat and will represent BU’s Fenway Campus and WBUR CitySpace.
It remains to be seen how a closely divided Congress may address issues such as COVID-19 relief for students and research and the renewal of the Higher Education Act.
EVENTS NEWS YOU CAN USE
Join the Office of Research on November 18th at 4 pm for a virtual Research on Tap about “Diverse Approaches to Understanding and Controlling COVID-19.” Hosted by Professor Ron Corley of BU’s National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories, the session will feature microtalks by BU scientists and engineers working to understand the virus, identify therapies, develop disease models, and detect and inactivate the virus. Following the talks, members of the BU community can connect with peer researchers working to combat COVID-19.