Democrats to Control U.S. Senate

Democrats Jon Ossoff and Reverend Raphael Warnock won special run-off elections for Georgia’s two U.S. Senate seats on January 5th, giving Democrats a narrow governing majority in the U.S. Senate. Democrats are eager to quickly confirm President-elect Joseph Biden’s Cabinet nominees, including Miguel Cardona for Secretary of Education, while also grappling with an impeachment trial for President Donald J. Trump in the aftermath of last week’s Capitol riot. Student aid proponent Patty Murray (D-WA) will chair the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, which has jurisdiction over both higher education policy and the National Science Foundation. New Englander Patrick Leahy (D-VT) will chair the Appropriations Committee, which oversees all federal spending.

BIDEN ANNOUNCES MORE KEY PERSONNEL

President-elect Joseph Biden announced his intention to nominate the following individuals when he assumes office:

• Boston Mayor Marty Walsh as secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor.Walsh, a long-time ally of the labor community, would oversee federal wage and collective bargaining regulations. His appointment will also set off a competitive race to replace him as mayor. 
• Judge Merrick Garland as U.S. attorney general. Judge Garland would lead the U.S. Department of Justice, an agency which has taken an active role in affirmative action and free speech matters on college campuses. 
• Ambassador Samantha Power as administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development, which supports global humanitarian aid and research. Power, a member of the Harvard University faculty, previously served as ambassador to the United Nations during the Obama Administration.

BUZZ BITS…

• The Energy Act of 2020, the first comprehensive update to energy policy and Department of Energy (DOE) applied energy research and development programs in 13 years, was signed into law at the end of December. The bill authorizes up to $35 billion in clean-energy investments, expands DOE research and development programs across a range of technologies, and renews the Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E). 
• The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced last week it will establish an Office of Nutrition Research within the NIH Office of the Director, upgrading the office in recognition of the impact nutrition has on health and disease. The Office was previously situated in the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
• Last week, Dr. Carrie Castille began a six-year term as director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the research arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Dr. Castille has served in a variety of USDA roles since 2003.