While the race for the White House will dominate the nation’s attention in 2016, there is a lot happening “down ticket” in some important House and Senate races. While the next president will set the policy agenda, Congress still makes the laws and controls the budget. In recent years, the House and Senate passed major education and workforce development legislation, including the Every Student Succeeds Act and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. With the upcoming reauthorization of several important pieces of legislation including the Perkins Act and Higher Education Act, as well as the continued threat of budget austerity in federal CTE funding, the battle for control of the 115th Congress will significantly impact the future of CTE policy.
The political party that has the majority of members in the House or Senate is able to drive the legislative agenda and control key leadership positions in their respective chamber. Currently, Republicans hold a slim majority of seats in the Senate (54-46), and 61 seat advantage in the House (247-186, two seats currently vacant). All of the 435 seats in House of Representatives will be up for grabs in 2016. In the Senate, where lawmakers serve staggered six-year terms, 34 of the 100 seats will be contested in the following states:
|
Alabama |
Alaska |
Arizona |
|
Arkansas |
California |
Colorado |
|
Connecticut |
Florida |
Georgia |
|
Hawaii |
Idaho |
Illinois |
|
Indiana |
Iowa |
Kansas |
|
Kentucky |
Louisiana |
Maryland |
|
Missouri |
Nevada |
New Hampshire |
|
New York |
North Carolina |
North Dakota |
|
Ohio |
Oklahoma |
Oregon |
|
Pennsylvania |
South Carolina |
South Dakota |
|
Utah |
Vermont |
Washington |
|
Wisconsin |
ACTE is a nonpartisan organization that does not support or oppose any candidate for public office.
Comments