Death of US Democratic House Member... Only 7-Seat Gap with Republicans

The Gap Between House Members Continues to Narrow
Positive Signs for Senate Approval of Infrastructure Investment Plan

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Baek Jong-min] A Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives has passed away, narrowing the seat gap with the Republicans to just seven seats.

Although a 'green light' has been given to the large-scale infrastructure investment legislation promoted by the Joe Biden administration, the situation remains uncertain regarding control over national governance.

According to U.S. media including the Associated Press on the 6th (local time), Alcee Hastings (Florida), a Democratic member of the House, died from an illness.

A civil rights attorney, Hastings was appointed as a federal judge for the Southern District of Florida in 1979 by then-President Jimmy Carter, becoming the first Black federal judge in Florida.

However, he was also dishonored as the sixth federal judge in history to be impeached by the Senate due to a bribery case related to a trial, but after being elected to the federal House in 1992, he continued his career as a politician.

President Biden mourned, saying, "Hastings fought to end racial segregation in hotels, restaurants, and public places in the Southern Florida region."

The Washington Post pointed out that Hastings' death further narrows the already slim Democratic majority in the House.

In the federal congressional elections held alongside last year's U.S. presidential election, the Democrats secured only 222 seats, maintaining a precarious lead over the Republicans' 211 seats.

Moreover, with three Democratic members leaving their seats to take government positions after the Biden administration took office, and now Hastings' death, the Democratic House seats have decreased to 218.

The timing of the special election to fill Hastings' seat will be decided by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican. Since the governor is a Republican and Florida was won by former President Donald Trump in the last presidential election, the Democrats cannot feel secure.

Senate Infrastructure Bill Investment Possibility 'Green Light'

However, the White House and the Democrats have expressed hope regarding the handling of the Biden administration's infrastructure investment plan.

Elizabeth MacDonough, Senate Parliamentarian, announced the day before that the Senate can use the budget reconciliation process by amending the already implemented 2021 budget to handle the infrastructure budget.

This means that the Democrats can pass the bill with only 50 Democratic senators, avoiding the Republicans' legitimate parliamentary obstruction (filibuster).

In the U.S., legislation related to spending and revenue is allowed once a year to bypass the filibuster through the budget reconciliation process.

A spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of the Democrats described this decision as "an important advancement that allows the Democrats to use this route if necessary."

The variable is Senator Joe Manchin, a conservative force within the Democratic Party. Senator Manchin opposes the Biden administration's plan to raise the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28%, advocating instead for an increase to 25%. If Senator Manchin opposes, even using budget reconciliation will not secure a majority vote.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.