Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock won their Senate runoffs in Georgia on Tuesday,from Insider and Decision Desk HQ. Now Democrats are poised to control both chambers of Congress and the presidency for the first time in a decade.
It's a razor-thin majority for Democrats and most legislation needs 60 votes to pass the Senate. But Congressional Democratic leadersthey could use a legislative maneuver known as budget reconciliation to approve more generous economic relief for individuals and strengthen Obamacare. Democrats say the the process opens to the door to policy changes that would have been inconceivable if Sen. Mitch McConnell kept control of the Senate.
Congress approved a $900 billion economic aid package late last month after many months of tumultuous negotiations, though Trump held it hostage for several days in a failed attempt to increase stimulus check amounts. The legislation included $600 direct payments and renewed $300 federal unemployment benefits among other measures.