American Horse Council Press Release

Democrats Control White House and Congress

The 111th Congress convened in early January and will remain under the Democrats’ control.  But the election of Barack Obama as the 44th President puts the White House in Democratic hands for the first time since 2000. 

The Democrats picked up seats in both the Senate and House of Representatives and added to their majority.  They now hold 58 seats in the Senate and 256 in the House, although several races still have to be concluded.  A few other seats will require new appointments, including the Senate seats in Illinois and Delaware to replace the President- and Vice-President-elect, and other Congressional offices to replace those who may be appointed to the new Cabinet.  But those appointments will be made by Democratic governors and are unlikely to go to Republicans. 

Many are wondering what these changes will mean for the horse industry.  “For the most part, issues affecting the horse industry are not partisan,” noted AHC president Jay Hickey.  “Like most industries, our legislative concerns don’t clearly split along party lines.  Democrats may approach issues from a different perspective than Republicans, and vice-versa, but the industry works on a bi-partisan basis with Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle.” 

There will be little change in the Senate and House leadership.  Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) will remain as Majority Leader and Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) will be the Minority Leader.  Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Majority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) were reelected, as was Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH).  The new face is Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA).   

Since Democrats already controlled the Senate and House there will be few changes in the Committee and Subcommittee chairs and ranking Republicans.  But with the additional Democrats elected there will be changes in the ratios of Democrats to Republicans on the various committees with the numbers favoring the Democrats even more.

President-elect Obama ran on a “change” platform and it made him the first Democrat to win more than 50% of the vote since President Jimmy Carter in 1977.  But it remains to be seen whether that majority vote, and the additional seats the Democrats won in the House and Senate, will be enough to end the partisan gridlock that has characterized the last few Congresses and reduced Congressional approval ratings to historically low levels.  Although the Democrats now hold larger majorities in both houses, the margins are not so great that they will not need some Republican support, particularly in the Senate, to pass legislation.  A lot will depend on whether the new President governs “from the center” and reaches out to Republicans.  The various cabinet appointments announced so far suggest that is Mr. Obama’s intention.

Several Cabinet posts are important to the horse industry, including Secretary of Agriculture, Secretary of the Interior and Secretary of Labor.  Former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsak has been nominated to head Agriculture, Senator Ken Salazar (D-CO) has been nominated to lead Interior and Congresswoman Hilda Solis (D-CA) has been nominated to be Secretary of Labor.

When Congress convenes in early January the economy will be the first item of business, including fine-tuning the various “bailout” bills to aid the banks, financial services companies, automakers and others.  In addition, the Democrats have already begun drafting a tax stimulus bill that will focus on funding for projects to rebuild the country’s infrastructure and to create and preserve jobs, lowering taxes on middle-class taxpayers, providing financial aid to state governments and funding health-care and education reform.

Reports indicate that the stimulus package, which President Obama would like to sign in late January, has grown to nearly $800 billion to be spent over two years.    The new Administration believes another large stimulus bill is the fastest way to jump start the lagging U.S. economy and create needed jobs. 

Alternative energy solutions and dealing with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are all important issues that will be brought up early in the next Congress.

The American Horse Council is celebrating its 40th year of representing the horse industry.  It has worked with seven administrations and hundreds of members of Congress.  “We have a new Congress with new members.  The AHC will continue to represent the horse industry on a bi-partisan basis, explaining the issues and pointing out how important the horse industry is to the nation’s economic, sporting and recreation life.  The industry has a $112 billion affect on the economy and supports 1.5 million jobs.  We just have to be sure that Congress continues to recognize that,” noted AHC president Jay Hickey.

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As the national association representing all segments of the horse industry in Washington, D.C., the American Horse Council works daily to represent equine interests and opportunities. Organized in 1969, the AHC promotes and protects the industry by communicating with Congress, federal agencies, the media and the industry on behalf of all horse related interests each and every day.

The AHC is member supported by individuals and organizations representing virtually every facet of the horse world from owners, breeders, veterinarians, farriers, breed registries and horsemen's associations to horse shows, race tracks, rodeos, commercial suppliers and state horse councils.