Summer 2018

12 HCAOA The Voice PUBLIC POLICY Preparing for the 2018 Elections THE 115TH CONGRESS has seen signif- icant political divide on a wide range of issue areas that can impact the home care industry and the clients we serve. Policies debated by Congress on labor, tax, health, immigration and numerous other areas have the potential to dramatically impact the ability of home care providers to maintain and expand services to seniors and individuals with disabilities. Regardless of your political views it is important to be aware of the political winds and how they may reshape both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. In this article, we will review the current status of the upcoming key Senate elections. The U.S. Senate has 51 Republicans and 49 Democrats (including two independents). The 2018 Senate election takes place on November 6. There are 35 seats up in 2018, of which 26 are held by Democrats. Democrats would need to gain 2 seats to take control of the Senate. Even a slim majority in the Senate allows the controlling party to set the debate agenda and to deny consideration of policies that the majority opposes. The Senate plays a central role in approving justices to the U.S. Supreme Court and key political appointees of President Trump’s Cabinet and Administration.