Pasadena Congresswoman Chu Signals New House Priorities under Democratic Control

Rep. Judy Chu (D) kicked off the first day of the 116th Congress by declaring the “start of a new Washington,” following the Democratic Party’s healthy victory in the recent elections.
Chu said those November results signaled that the “Trump status quo is unacceptable.”
In her Jan. 3 statement, the congresswoman highlighted the new Congress’s diversity and noted that the majority’s first order of business will be H.R. 1, a bill that she said, “is going to make it easier for Americans to vote and have their votes counted.”
Party leaders have provided just an inkling of what is likely to become a sweeping reform package under the H.R. 1 umbrella, that addresses voting rights, campaign finance, and ethics laws.
While it is unlikely a Republican-controlled Senate will pass it, such a measure can serve as a blueprint for party action while obligating those on the other side of the aisle to declare opposition to, or support for, issues of importance to their constituents.
The new majority, Chu added, will exercise its oversight function and serve as a check on the executive branch, in this case, the Trump administration.
The Democratic majority in the House of Representatives, Chu said, also expects to draft legislation concerning immigration, the price of prescription drugs, the rights of women, and tax reform focused on middle class relief.