New Congress. New Challenges. We’re Ready.
Today marks the beginning of the 119th Congress, and Mike Johnson is scrambling to retain his Speaker’s gavel for the next two years. With just one vote to lose, the precarious position of House Republicans will be on full display today as they attempt to elect a Speaker.
As of the drafting of this email, it remains unclear if Johnson has the requisite 218 votes to remain speaker – he can only afford to lose one vote provided there’s full attendance from the Republican Caucus – but it is clear that all 215 Democrats will be voting for Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Whether Johnson retains the speakership or not, his scramble for votes is illustrative of what’s to come for Republicans in the 119th Congress – the GOP majority is so razor-thin, they’ll have to pass their agenda without any defections or start working with Democrats.
We’re on Capitol Hill today as the Speaker vote gets underway, attending swearing-in receptions for the Democrats JDCA helped to elect in November. We’re thrilled to have played an essential role in electing more than 100 Democrats who share our values and look forward to welcoming them to Congress, where they’ll advance those values in the Senate and House.
We’ll also be monitoring developments as House Republicans struggle to govern, handicapped by their historically narrow majority and an incoming president who has repeatedly demonstrated disdain for democracy, governing, and rule of law.
After electing a Speaker, the next priority for Republicans will be confirming Trump’s nominees. President-elect Trump has announced nominees who are both dangerously unqualified and extremist. While Trump would prefer bypassing the Senate entirely, the Constitution requires the Senate to advise and consent on nominations. You can write to your senators encouraging such a vote by urging them to oppose recess appointments – and voice your opposition to Trump’s most dangerous nominees today.
More than 10,000 JDCA supporters have written to their members of Congress in recent weeks. Join them and be among the first to write to your senators in this new Congress.
Republicans will also try to impose tariffs – which would increase inflation. And they’re considering repealing student loan forgiveness, eliminating the Department of Education, and cutting food stamps, among other dangerous measures that violate our Jewish values, all in service of funding Trump’s tax cuts for the wealthiest one percent of Americans.
Will the 119th Congress be dominated by Republican dysfunction and in-fighting or a submissive devotion to a self-proclaimed “dictator on day one?” Likely both, at a grave cost to the American people, including many who supported Trump.
We at JDCA will view everything through the lens of our Jewish values. We will advocate for smart policies and build the case for electing Democrats in 2025 and taking back the congressional majorities in 2026. Republicans, led by Donald Trump, will help us make our case, by failing to fulfill their promises to everyday Americans who helped put them in office. We know that Trump’s agenda is not aligned with the priorities of the vast majority of Jewish Americans, and we will remind Jewish voters of the fact that his MAGA worldview is antithetical to our values.
We’re ready for the 119th Congress and – coming off the heels of Hanukkah – are grateful for the many sources of light in the Senate and House. While we are clear-eyed about the challenges that lie ahead, we’re also ready for the fight. Finally, we are counting on you to join us. Please support JDCA today, to help us do even more to further our shared values in the 119th Congress.
Shabbat Shalom,
Halie Soifer
CEO, Jewish Democratic Council of America