Control of the U.

S senate
BY Isaac Kawesa
On Tuesday, Nov. 8, citizens of The United States of America elected Donald J. Trump
as the next president with 290 electoral votes. And while the presidency may take up
most of the spotlight, other positions within the government were also being determined
as well.
One of those being the US senate within congress. After gaining the majority in 2014,
after Tuesday republicans once again took control of the senate receiving 51 seats out
of the 100. Democrats would only revive 48 while independents received 1. Although
both of Michigans senate seats were not up for election this year, the outcome of other
races in the senate can still affect how we govern.
Michigan has two seats current state senators, democratic senator Debbie Stabenow
and democrat Gary Peters. When speaking about the election to April Beasley who is a
representative for Senator Gary Peters, she reinforced that although seats in the senate
are not up for election, many of the policies we are trying to enforce statewide could be
nullified by federal laws created by a all republican house. Her fears being the
republican federal government will contest state endeavors.
The 114th congress began in January of 2014. During this time republicans with 54 seats
controlled the US senate. With this control, republicans have been able to block many
democratic efforts like extensive gun reform, environmental restrictions on coal
companies and regulations on power plant emissions. Michigan went through an
environmental crisis with Flint Beasley stated.

Beasley is referring to the water crisis on Flint, where led poisoning was found in water
by populated areas near the Flint River causing a shortage in clean water. Michigan
has become more environmentally observant since then Beasley continued. She fears
that after this election with republicans controlling the white house, U.S senate and the
house, that many of the democratic environmental issues will be rejected.
Most recently legislation intended to pave the groundwork for the replacing of age old
coal-fired Michigan power plants by requiring electricity brokers to compensate utilities
for some of their generation costs cleared the state senate. Although though these are
nature friendly laws, opposition. to the idea believe it will raise prices in the energy
market. Most who oppose are republican and now with control n the senate they may be
able to eventually repeal if thats what they see fit
The final makeup of the Senate cannot officially be decided until the race in Louisiana is
settled.