Newly elected members of the U.S. Congress will soon debate the nation’s toughest questions. But first, they need to tackle a different question: Where’s my office?
It’s freshmen orientation week in Washington, D.C. Over 100 newly elected members will be sworn in on January 3. Before that, they need to learn the ropes of Capitol Hill. Orientation includes training sessions and fancy receptions. Briefing rooms provide information on office setup, payroll, and benefits. Some of the new lawmakers take selfies together.
“I’m looking forward to learning as much as I can and being the best representative I can be for my district,” says Representative-elect Brian Poindexter of Ohio.
Orientation week makes for an unusual mix of people at Capitol Hill. While new lawmakers prepare to move in, exiting lawmakers prepare to move out. Some of them chose to retire. Others lost their bids for reelection. For them, it’s the start of figuring out what comes next.
The incoming lawmakers form a diverse group. Democratic Representative Suzan DelBene pointed out the uniqueness of her party’s candidates.
“We had firefighters, ministers, mayors, veterans, teachers, farmers, prosecutors, union leaders, law enforcement, doctors, journalists, and even a Grammy-award winning musician,” she says.
Lawmakers hold elections of their own. Republicans and Democrats choose their internal leaders for the House and the Senate. After winning the majority of House seats, Democrats face the weighty decision of picking a speaker of the House. The current favorite choice is Hakeem Jeffries of New York. If chosen, he would be the first black American to hold the role.
Republican Mike Johnson, the current House speaker, chose to step aside after his party’s election defeat. He’ll end his role as party leader at the end of the year. Ohio Representative Jim Jordan won a secret-ballot election to lead the smaller group of House Republicans in the new term. As a minority in both bodies of Congress, Republicans face a tough fight in the coming years.
New lawmakers will arrive in Washington with different backgrounds and different agendas. We can pray that God would give them the wisdom to make good decisions for the nation. God can strengthen the weak and change the hearts of the wicked. His plan for His world continues unhindered, no matter who holds office.
