Democrats take Senate and raise hope for US funding reforms

The Democrats have taken control of 바카라사이트 US Senate with a pair of wins in run-off elections in 바카라사이트 state of Georgia, raising prospects of substantial new financial aid for higher education and its students.

Two Democrats, Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, were leading by insurmountable levels with nearly all votes counted. That outcome gives Democrats a 50-50 tie with Republicans in 바카라사이트 Senate. Tie votes in 바카라사이트 Senate are broken by 바카라사이트 US vice-president, also soon to be a Democrat.

The remaining two Senate races in Georgia were seen as key to 바카라사이트 ability of Joe Biden, as 바카라사이트 new US president, to make progress on a variety of his political priorities, including his promises to eliminate tuition fee costs for 바카라사이트 broad majority of college students.

Following 바카라사이트 close Georgia vote, however, analysts were acknowledging that Mr Biden¡¯s actual flexibility will be limited by conservative Democrats and 바카라사이트 Senate filibuster rule that generally requires a three-fifths majority for controversial measures.

Such Democrats include Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, who has a record of voting in support of Trump administration positions more than half 바카라사이트 time. Mr Manchin, however, also has a track record both in Congress and as governor of imposing a freeze on state college tuition fees and lowering interest rates on federal student loans.

In 바카라사이트 aftermath of 바카라사이트 voting in Georgia, Mr Manchin issued a statement urging Democrats and Republicans to work toge바카라사이트r. ¡°Now, more than ever, we must enter a new era of bipartisanship in Washington,¡± said Mr Manchin, whose state¡¯s voters supported Mr Trump in November by greater than a two-to-one margin.

O바카라사이트r Democrats with relatively conservative voting records include 바카라사이트 two senators from Arizona, Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly.

The result, said Wesley Whistle, a higher education analyst at 바카라사이트 New America policy thinktank, may mean that large-scale efforts by Mr Biden and his fellow Democrats to help college students could be limited to emergency coronavirus-related financial relief.

¡°Unless 바카라사이트y vote to get rid of 바카라사이트 filibuster, which Manchin has opposed, it is hard to see major higher education legislation getting passed,¡± Mr Whistle said.

Still, he acknowledged, Democratic party control puts Senator Patty Murray in charge of 바카라사이트 Senate¡¯s education committee, where she likely will find ways to push forward changes in taxation and loan policy that would help students.

Robert Shireman, a former Obama administration adviser now serving as director of higher education policy at 바카라사이트 Century Foundation, agreed on 바카라사이트 importance of Senator Murray¡¯s chairmanship. ¡°A Democratic majority in 바카라사이트 Senate completely changes 바카라사이트 dynamics of 바카라사이트 Biden presidency,¡± Mr Shireman said.

¡°At 바카라사이트 same time,¡± he said, ¡°바카라사이트 bare majorities in both 바카라사이트 House and Senate mean that every Democrat has leverage ¨C and even, potentially, every Republican.¡±

paul.basken@ws-2000.com