Post-Election Reorganization May Slow Work on Key Legislation

Well, today is the day. Hopefully you’ve done your civic duty and voted. There will be considerable changes ahead — regardless of who our next president will be. Post-election reorganization at federal agencies and on Capitol Hill will be a huge undertaking, and could slow work on key legislation including early work on a new farm bill.
A new administration and Congress will have much to grapple with starting in January and perhaps the biggest challenge will be getting organized. American Farm Bureau director Dale Moore says an early start on a new farm bill may have to wait until new officials are selected.
Moore: “Who are the secretaries, the deputy secretaries, the under secretaries,and so forth. All of those folks who come in to play the leadership roles at the political level in the various agencies. For us at Farm Bureau, it isn’t just USDA — we’re looking at Interior, looking at Labor, and looking at EPA — all those different agencies that we have to deal with on those other issues that are affecting farmers and ranchers.”
And as for Congress, Moore says
Moore: “It is a new Congress so the committees will have to be set. The new members will have to be brought up to speed and whatever leadership changes may be occurring, for example the Senate Democrat Leader Henry Reid stepping down at the end of this Congress — there is going to be a new Senate Democrat leader.”
There could also be a new Speaker of the House, depending on how the election turns out for Republicans.