Good afternoon, friends:
President Donald J. Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States today, assuming power with Republicans controlling the House of Representatives and the Senate. His party is eager to roll back many of the policies of the Biden Administration and advance a wide-ranging policy portfolio of its own. Below we preview some of the immediate actions that President Trump and a Republican Congress will prioritize in the first 100 days of the new administration.
Executive Orders: President Trump is expected to sign nearly 100 Executive Orders (EOs) immediately after being sworn in to office, especially related to immigration, climate and energy policy, and trade. Presidential EOs carry the force of law and direct federal agencies to take specific action. On immigration, President Trump is expected to reinstate the “Remain in Mexico” policy, which requires asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while their asylum claims are processed; suspend refugee admissions, and other measures aimed at border security, such as the completion of the U.S.-Mexico border wall. On energy and climate, President Trump is expected to repeal the fuel efficiency standards for automobile, which he has characterized as an “EV mandate,” and withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement, an international agreement that seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. On trade, he is expected to announce sweeping tariffs on goods imported from China and potentially other countries, including allies. Many of these EOs may face legal challenges and be eventually settled by U.S. courts.
Congressional Review Act: In the final days and months of the Biden Administration, many federal agencies issued rules and regulations directing federal policy. Congress has the authority to overturn regulations issued within the final 60 legislative days of the previous administration with a simple majority vote. The “lookback” date for the Biden Administration is August 16, which was before it was known that President Trump would be returning. While the Biden Administration finalized most of its rules well before this date, there are several regulations, especially environmental rules, that could be subject to being overturned.
Government Funding for Fiscal Year 2025: In December of 2024, Congress passed a short-term continuing resolution through March 14, 2025. One of the first priorities of the 119th Congress will be to reach a funding agreement for the remainder of fiscal year 2025, with Republicans looking to enact significant spending cuts and strengthen their priorities and Democrats hoping to preserve as many of their programs and priorities as possible from the last Congress.
Reconciliation Package: Republicans in Congress will use a legislative procedure referred to as “budget reconciliation” to enact several of their policy priorities related to tax cuts, immigration and border security, and energy. Reconciliation is a distinct process from the appropriations process that allows changes to federal revenue or outlays. Importantly, it only requires a majority vote in Congress, bypassing the 60-vote threshold in the Senate. While Republicans in the House and Senate have differed on their approaches to one comprehensive reconciliation package or dividing it into two-bills, respectively, both House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA-4) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) have laid out an aggressive timetable for passage. Given the procedural complexities of reconciliation, the timing may slide later into the year, however, it will be an immediate priority for both chambers of Congress and the administration.
Immigration Reform: The Laken Riley Act, which would require the detention of illegal immigrants charged with certain crimes like theft, is expected to be one of the first bills President Trump will sign into law after Congress passes it in the next few days. Although supported overwhelmingly by Republicans, Democrat Senators Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and John Fetterman (D-PA) were co-sponsors. Congressional Republicans will prioritize other immigration policies, such as increased funding for a border wall and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), in subsequent legislative vehicles.
TikTok Ban: Last week, the Supreme Court upheld the law passed by the 118th Congress and signed into law by former President Biden to force the sale of TikTok by parent company ByteDance from Chinese ownership. The popular social media app went dark over the weekend as the law went into effect, but then came back online with the expectation that President Trump, despite his hawkish approach toward China, has vowed to intervene to prevent the app from being shut down in the U.S., citing a provision in the law that allows a 90-day extension if there is significant progress toward a sale.
Our team is looking forward to working with the new administration and 119th Congress to advance our clients’ priorities. We will be following all these issues closely and will update you as there is meaningful progress. If you would like more information on any of these issues, please share how we can be most helpful.
Sincerely,
The Bridge Team