Reuters AlertNet Lite - FACTBOX-Democratic win may turn U.S. Congress upside down

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FACTBOX-Democratic win may turn U.S. Congress upside down

22 Oct 2006 15:26:34 GMT
Source: Reuters

Oct 22 (Reuters) - If Democrats win control of Congress in the Nov. 7 election, there would be swift and dramatic political fallout. Here is a quick look:

-- House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a Democratic liberal from California, would be positioned to become the first woman to head the 217-year-old chamber. The post of speaker would put her second in the line of succession to the U.S. presidency, behind the vice president.

-- Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada would likely be elevated by fellow Democrats to Senate majority leader. A moderate and former boxer who earned a law degree while working as a Capitol policeman, Reid opposes abortion and is seen by party faithful as having effectively blocked a number of unacceptable Republican initiatives.

-- Democrats promise oversight hearings into possible fraud, waste and abuse of taxpayers' dollars in the Bush administration, much of it involving the Iraq war.

-- Despite Republican claims to the contrary, Democrats insist they will not try to impeach President George W. Bush. They say they will instead push their agenda, "A New Direction for America," which includes raising the federal minimum wage, ending some tax breaks for oil companies and a phased withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.

-- Democrats would take over committee chairmanships and set a new legislative course. Republicans would no longer be able to placate their conservative base by repeatedly bringing up for votes proposed constitutional amendments to ban gay marriage and flag burning.

-- Democrats would be unlikely to extend tax cuts largely for the rich that Bush got through Congress and are due to expire in 2010. But Democrats say they would maintain popular tax breaks for the middle class. The also would reinstate "pay-as-you-go" rules so any increase in spending or tax cuts would be offset by spending cuts or a revenue increase. (Additional reporting by Donna Smith)

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Last updated:Sun Oct 22 15:28:20 2006