正如新任美國(guó)總統(tǒng)喬?拜登所承諾的那樣,他為剛上任的政府安排了一連串的活動(dòng)。總統(tǒng)在上任前兩天就簽署了30份行政命令,分別涉及他在氣候變化、移民、新冠疫情等方面的工作重點(diǎn)。
但這些行政命令也僅限于此,拜登政府將難以推行廣泛的政治議題;拜登政府要想推行其他議題,必須與努力適應(yīng)權(quán)力大洗牌的美國(guó)國(guó)會(huì)合作。民主黨以一場(chǎng)漂亮的翻身仗贏回了參議院的主導(dǎo)權(quán)之后,現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)掌控了參眾兩院。盡管如此,由米奇?麥康奈爾(肯塔基州共和黨參議員)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)的共和黨少數(shù)黨仍未放棄爭(zhēng)奪有利地位,而且總統(tǒng)所在的民主黨要想通過(guò)所有議題顯然將面臨重重困難。
麥康奈爾在與參議院多數(shù)黨領(lǐng)袖查克?舒默(紐約州民主黨)為接近分裂的參議院談判權(quán)力分享協(xié)議時(shí),已經(jīng)表態(tài)希望保留參議院的阻撓議事規(guī)則。該規(guī)則要求大部分立法必須獲得60票的絕對(duì)多數(shù)通過(guò)。參議院的民主黨議員呼吁舒默堅(jiān)持立場(chǎng),反對(duì)放棄寶貴的談判籌碼,使對(duì)方阻礙議事的企圖得逞。
如果阻礙議事規(guī)則不變,民主黨或許只能采取更有創(chuàng)意的戰(zhàn)術(shù),推行拜登的政治議程。最值得關(guān)注的是,總統(tǒng)提出了1.9萬(wàn)億美元新冠救濟(jì)政策,該政策將支持聯(lián)邦政府應(yīng)對(duì)疫情,并為數(shù)以百萬(wàn)計(jì)的美國(guó)民眾提供必要的經(jīng)濟(jì)救濟(jì)。雖然民主黨表示愿意與共和黨合作通過(guò)一份兩黨法案,但他們也可能啟用預(yù)算協(xié)調(diào)措施,以簡(jiǎn)單多數(shù)通過(guò)該項(xiàng)立法。
白宮和參議院民主黨的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人都暗示不會(huì)排除這種策略。拜登的白宮新聞秘書(shū)珍?普薩基雖然特別提到總統(tǒng)“明顯傾向于”通過(guò)一份兩黨法案,但她在上周表示,拜登政府不會(huì)“排除任何策略”。即將上任的參議院預(yù)算委員會(huì)主席伯尼?桑德斯(佛蒙特州獨(dú)立參議員)更有前瞻性。他表示,民主黨在必要情況下將不得不“啟用預(yù)算協(xié)調(diào)措施”。
總統(tǒng)的其他政治議程要獲得通過(guò)的難度可能更大,但這不會(huì)阻止拜登提出雄心勃勃的提案。他在上任第一天就宣布了一項(xiàng)有廣泛影響的移民法案,該項(xiàng)法案將全面改革美國(guó)的移民制度,并為1,100萬(wàn)非法移民提供獲得公民身份的途徑,該計(jì)劃已經(jīng)遭到了共和黨議員的強(qiáng)烈反對(duì)??赡馨鍧嵞茉闯h的一攬子基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施建設(shè)政策,也可能是新任政府的工作重點(diǎn)。如果沒(méi)有兩黨合作,民主黨可以啟用預(yù)算協(xié)調(diào)措施通過(guò)政府提案中的部分政策,但這與白宮宣傳的全面改革相去甚遠(yuǎn)。
另外,拜登提名的30多位內(nèi)閣人選仍然有待與參議院確認(rèn),這項(xiàng)任務(wù)同樣舉足輕重。除此之外,還有針對(duì)唐納德?特朗普的第二次彈劾審批的問(wèn)題;麥康奈爾在1月21日要求將參議院審判推遲到今年2月之后,眾議院議長(zhǎng)南希?佩洛西(加利福尼亞州民主黨)于1月22日表示,她會(huì)在1月25日把針對(duì)前總統(tǒng)特朗普的彈劾條款提交至參議院,在參議院已經(jīng)忙亂不堪的時(shí)期啟動(dòng)彈劾審判。
白宮幕僚長(zhǎng)羅恩?克萊恩在1月21日晚上接受電視采訪時(shí)呼吁國(guó)會(huì)履行職責(zé)。他表示政府需要資金開(kāi)展疫情響應(yīng),并援助數(shù)以百萬(wàn)計(jì)面臨經(jīng)濟(jì)困境的美國(guó)民眾。
克萊恩稱:“我們希望國(guó)會(huì)盡快采取行動(dòng)。舒默參議員已經(jīng)明確表示,他將確保參議院履行其應(yīng)盡的職責(zé)?!保ㄘ?cái)富中文網(wǎng))
翻譯:劉進(jìn)龍
審校:汪皓
正如新任美國(guó)總統(tǒng)喬?拜登所承諾的那樣,他為剛上任的政府安排了一連串的活動(dòng)??偨y(tǒng)在上任前兩天就簽署了30份行政命令,分別涉及他在氣候變化、移民、新冠疫情等方面的工作重點(diǎn)。
但這些行政命令也僅限于此,拜登政府將難以推行廣泛的政治議題;拜登政府要想推行其他議題,必須與努力適應(yīng)權(quán)力大洗牌的美國(guó)國(guó)會(huì)合作。民主黨以一場(chǎng)漂亮的翻身仗贏回了參議院的主導(dǎo)權(quán)之后,現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)掌控了參眾兩院。盡管如此,由米奇?麥康奈爾(肯塔基州共和黨參議員)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)的共和黨少數(shù)黨仍未放棄爭(zhēng)奪有利地位,而且總統(tǒng)所在的民主黨要想通過(guò)所有議題顯然將面臨重重困難。
麥康奈爾在與參議院多數(shù)黨領(lǐng)袖查克?舒默(紐約州民主黨)為接近分裂的參議院談判權(quán)力分享協(xié)議時(shí),已經(jīng)表態(tài)希望保留參議院的阻撓議事規(guī)則。該規(guī)則要求大部分立法必須獲得60票的絕對(duì)多數(shù)通過(guò)。參議院的民主黨議員呼吁舒默堅(jiān)持立場(chǎng),反對(duì)放棄寶貴的談判籌碼,使對(duì)方阻礙議事的企圖得逞。
如果阻礙議事規(guī)則不變,民主黨或許只能采取更有創(chuàng)意的戰(zhàn)術(shù),推行拜登的政治議程。最值得關(guān)注的是,總統(tǒng)提出了1.9萬(wàn)億美元新冠救濟(jì)政策,該政策將支持聯(lián)邦政府應(yīng)對(duì)疫情,并為數(shù)以百萬(wàn)計(jì)的美國(guó)民眾提供必要的經(jīng)濟(jì)救濟(jì)。雖然民主黨表示愿意與共和黨合作通過(guò)一份兩黨法案,但他們也可能啟用預(yù)算協(xié)調(diào)措施,以簡(jiǎn)單多數(shù)通過(guò)該項(xiàng)立法。
白宮和參議院民主黨的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人都暗示不會(huì)排除這種策略。拜登的白宮新聞秘書(shū)珍?普薩基雖然特別提到總統(tǒng)“明顯傾向于”通過(guò)一份兩黨法案,但她在上周表示,拜登政府不會(huì)“排除任何策略”。即將上任的參議院預(yù)算委員會(huì)主席伯尼?桑德斯(佛蒙特州獨(dú)立參議員)更有前瞻性。他表示,民主黨在必要情況下將不得不“啟用預(yù)算協(xié)調(diào)措施”。
總統(tǒng)的其他政治議程要獲得通過(guò)的難度可能更大,但這不會(huì)阻止拜登提出雄心勃勃的提案。他在上任第一天就宣布了一項(xiàng)有廣泛影響的移民法案,該項(xiàng)法案將全面改革美國(guó)的移民制度,并為1,100萬(wàn)非法移民提供獲得公民身份的途徑,該計(jì)劃已經(jīng)遭到了共和黨議員的強(qiáng)烈反對(duì)??赡馨鍧嵞茉闯h的一攬子基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施建設(shè)政策,也可能是新任政府的工作重點(diǎn)。如果沒(méi)有兩黨合作,民主黨可以啟用預(yù)算協(xié)調(diào)措施通過(guò)政府提案中的部分政策,但這與白宮宣傳的全面改革相去甚遠(yuǎn)。
另外,拜登提名的30多位內(nèi)閣人選仍然有待與參議院確認(rèn),這項(xiàng)任務(wù)同樣舉足輕重。除此之外,還有針對(duì)唐納德?特朗普的第二次彈劾審批的問(wèn)題;麥康奈爾在1月21日要求將參議院審判推遲到今年2月之后,眾議院議長(zhǎng)南希?佩洛西(加利福尼亞州民主黨)于1月22日表示,她會(huì)在1月25日把針對(duì)前總統(tǒng)特朗普的彈劾條款提交至參議院,在參議院已經(jīng)忙亂不堪的時(shí)期啟動(dòng)彈劾審判。
白宮幕僚長(zhǎng)羅恩?克萊恩在1月21日晚上接受電視采訪時(shí)呼吁國(guó)會(huì)履行職責(zé)。他表示政府需要資金開(kāi)展疫情響應(yīng),并援助數(shù)以百萬(wàn)計(jì)面臨經(jīng)濟(jì)困境的美國(guó)民眾。
克萊恩稱:“我們希望國(guó)會(huì)盡快采取行動(dòng)。舒默參議員已經(jīng)明確表示,他將確保參議院履行其應(yīng)盡的職責(zé)?!保ㄘ?cái)富中文網(wǎng))
翻譯:劉進(jìn)龍
審校:汪皓
As promised, Joe Biden has launched his fledgling administration with a flurry of activity. In his first two days, the President signed 30 executive actions addressing his priorities on climate change, immigration, the COVID-19 pandemic, and more.
But executive orders will only get the Biden administration so far in pursuing its expansive agenda; for the rest, it will require the cooperation of a U.S. Congress still coming to terms with its recalibrated power dynamics. Though Democrats now control both chambers after winning back the Senate in a stunning upset, the Republican minority led by Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is still jostling for position, and it’s clear that the President’s party has its work cut out in passing all the things on its docket.
McConnell is already angling to preserve the Senate filibuster that effectively requires that most legislation be passed by a 60-vote majority, as he and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) negotiate a power-sharing agreement for a closely divided body. Senate Democrats have urged Schumer to hold a strong line, arguing against ceding a valuable bargaining chip against the opposition’s obstructionist designs.
Should filibuster rules remain intact, Democrats may have to resort to more creative tactics to advance parts of Biden’s agenda. Most notably, there is the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package proposed by the President, which would bolster the federal response to the pandemic and provide needed economic relief to millions of Americans. While Democrats say they would prefer to work with Republicans on a bipartisan bill, they could rely on budget reconciliation measures to push through the legislation with a simple majority.
Both the White House and leading Senate Democrats have hinted at that tactic as a possible avenue. While noting the President’s “clear preference” for a bipartisan bill, Biden press secretary Jen Psaki said last week that the administration would not “take any tools off the table.” Incoming Senate Budget Committee chair Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) was more forthcoming, saying that Democrats would have to “go forward with reconciliation” if necessary.
Passing other parts of the President’s agenda could prove even more difficult, though that’s not stopping Biden from rolling out ambitious proposals. On his first day in office, he announced a sweeping immigration bill that would overhaul the U.S. immigration system and provide a pathway to citizenship for 11 million undocumented residents—a plan that is already facing backlash from GOP lawmakers. A significant infrastructure package, with clean energy initiatives potentially folded in, is also understood to be a priority for the new administration. Absent bipartisan cooperation, Democrats could resort to budget reconciliation to pass elements of those proposals—though it would be far from the comprehensive reform being pitched by the White House.
Meanwhile, the Senate also has on its plate the not-insignificant task of confirming more than 30 of Biden’s cabinet nominees who lay in waiting. And hanging over it all remains the matter of Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial; after McConnell on January 21 suggested pushing back the Senate trial to February, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said on January 22 that she would send the article of impeachment against the former President to the upper chamber on January 25—triggering the start of the trial at an already busy time for the Senate.
In a television interview on January 21 night, White House chief of staff Ron Klain urged Congress to press forward with its duties, citing the need to fund the administration’s pandemic response and aid millions of Americans who are struggling economically.
“We’d like Congress to act as quickly as possible,” Klain said. “Sen. Schumer has made it clear he’s going to make sure that the Senate does all of its business.”