Analyses / Whip Count Analysis / 119 · S 2110 Whip Count Analysis

119-S-2110 DC Insider Whip Count Analysis

119 · S 2110 REUSE Act of 2025

eco Environmental Protection

Bipartisan EPA study bill S.2110 cleared Senate EPW by voice vote on Oct 29 and is now on the Senate calendar. With Republicans controlling Senate (53 seats) and House, and EPW chaired by Capito (a co‑sponsor), expect Senate passage by unanimous consent once floor time opens; risk is a single hold from procedural or fiscal hawks. House path is through Energy & Commerce and likely under Suspension of the Rules; ongoing shutdown politics and a two‑thirds threshold are the main bottlenecks. Overall chance this session: Senate high; House moderate; combined moderate‑high. [1]U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works — EPW Committee Advances…[2]Library of Congress — S.2110 — REUSE Act of 2025 (Congress.gov) — Actions and C…[3]U.S. Senate — Party Division — 119th Congress[4]Reuters — Republicans win control of U.S. Senate (Nov. 6, 2024)[5]Senate Republican Leader Office — Thune Delivers First Remarks as Senate Majori…

Analyzed as
DC Insider
Published
30 Oct 2025
Updated
30 Oct 2025
Tags
whip-count · senate · house
Unvetted
01 · Section

Breakdown: expected support and opposition

What we know from public positions and institutional context as of October 30, 2025. [2]Library of Congress — S.2110 — REUSE Act of 2025 (Congress.gov) — Actions and C…

  • Senate landscape: GOP majority (53 R / 45 D / 2 I), John Thune is Majority Leader; EPW is chaired by Shelley Moore Capito (R‑WV), with Sheldon Whitehouse (D‑RI) as Ranking Member. [3]U.S. Senate — Party Division — 119th Congress[5]Senate Republican Leader Office — Thune Delivers First Remarks as Senate Majori…[6]U.S. Senate EPW Committee — United States Senate Committee on Environment and P…
  • Bill status: S.2110 (REUSE Act) was approved in EPW by voice vote on Oct 29 and placed on the Senate Legislative Calendar (General Orders, Calendar No. 225). That committee outcome implies cross‑party support. [1]U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works — EPW Committee Advances…[2]Library of Congress — S.2110 — REUSE Act of 2025 (Congress.gov) — Actions and C…
  • Sponsorship: Introduced by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D‑OR) with Sen. Capito (R‑WV) as the bipartisan co‑sponsor; no CBO estimate posted yet. [2]Library of Congress — S.2110 — REUSE Act of 2025 (Congress.gov) — Actions and C…
  • Likely Senate voting behavior: Environmental study/“report only” measures that clear EPW on voice vote typically move by hotline and unanimous consent if no one objects. Expect near‑universal Democratic support and broad Republican acquiescence; opposition risk stems from individual holds rather than organized blocs. [1]U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works — EPW Committee Advances…[7]Cambridge University Press — Hill‑speak primer (hotline and UC)
  • House landscape: GOP control; Speaker Mike Johnson; Steve Scalise manages the floor. Energy & Commerce (Chair Brett Guthrie) holds EPA/RCRA jurisdiction—likely referral if/when a Senate‑passed bill arrives. [8]Office of the Speaker of the House — Speaker.gov — Mike Johnson updates (Oct. 2…[9]U.S. House of Representatives — House.gov — Leadership page[10]House Committee on Energy & Commerce — House Energy & Commerce — Organizational…[11]House Committee on Energy & Commerce — House Energy & Commerce — Subcommittee o…
  • House procedure expectation: Noncontroversial Senate EPA studies are commonly taken up under Suspension of the Rules (40 minutes debate, no floor amendments, two‑thirds threshold). Democrats are broadly favorable; enough Republicans typically join if leadership green‑lights the suspension. [12]Congressional Research Service / Congress.gov — CRS: Suspension of the Rules in…
  • Contextual headwind: Ongoing FY26 shutdown and CR fights are consuming floor time and leverage in both chambers, lengthening runway to schedule non‑urgent bills. [8]Office of the Speaker of the House — Speaker.gov — Mike Johnson updates (Oct. 2…[13]Association of Clean Water Administrators — ACWA Weekly Wrap (Week of Sept 29,…
02 · Section

Key legislators and pivot points

Members with leverage over timing or potential to block/clear the bill. [2]Library of Congress — S.2110 — REUSE Act of 2025 (Congress.gov) — Actions and C…

  • Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R‑WV): EPW Chair and listed as the member reporting S.2110; her buy‑in signals Republican leadership comfort at the committee level. [2]Library of Congress — S.2110 — REUSE Act of 2025 (Congress.gov) — Actions and C…
  • Sen. Jeff Merkley (D‑OR): Primary sponsor; his plastics portfolio keeps green groups engaged, which helps sustain Democratic unanimity and quiet industry acceptance for a study bill. [14]Office of Sen. Jeff Merkley — Merkley press release announcing REUSE Act introd…
  • Senate floor: Majority Leader John Thune controls hotlining/UC time; with a packed calendar, his office can fold S.2110 into a year‑end wrap‑up if any single‑senator objections are cleared. [5]Senate Republican Leader Office — Thune Delivers First Remarks as Senate Majori…[7]Cambridge University Press — Hill‑speak primer (hotline and UC)
  • Potential UC objectors: Senators known to block fast‑tracking on process/civil‑liberties/fiscal grounds—e.g., Rand Paul has recently objected to UC on other bills; any one objection forces floor time or negotiation. [15]Associated Press — Bill responding to drone sightings is blocked in the Senate[16]Reuters — U.S. Senate rejects bid to fast‑track anti‑drone bill
  • House gatekeepers: Speaker Mike Johnson and Majority Leader Steve Scalise decide if/when to run a Suspension package; E&C Chair Brett Guthrie can quickly clear committee if needed. [8]Office of the Speaker of the House — Speaker.gov — Mike Johnson updates (Oct. 2…[17]Web search · turn 11 #0[10]House Committee on Energy & Commerce — House Energy & Commerce — Organizational…
  • Interest groups: Environmental NGOs (e.g., Center for Biological Diversity, 5 Gyres, Oceana) have circulated a sign‑on letter supporting S.2110; beverage industry trade groups emphasize circularity and indicate openness to reuse/refill exploration—signals of low organized opposition. [18]Chesapeake Network / Center for Biological Diversity et al. — Chesapeake Networ…[19]American Beverage Association — ABA blog: Five Years of Progress — WWF and ABA…
03 · Section

Leadership influence and procedural dynamics

How leaders, rules, and calendars shape the path.

  • Senate: With Republicans holding 53 seats, Thune can hotline the measure; if no holds emerge, passage by unanimous consent is likely. If there is an objection, leaders must burn scarce floor time or negotiate changes—an avoidable lift for a study bill during shutdown/appropriations fights. [3]U.S. Senate — Party Division — 119th Congress[5]Senate Republican Leader Office — Thune Delivers First Remarks as Senate Majori…[7]Cambridge University Press — Hill‑speak primer (hotline and UC)
  • Committee signal: EPW advanced S.2110 by voice vote—valuable cover for leaders to place the bill in a UC stack. [1]U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works — EPW Committee Advances…
  • House: Suspension of the Rules is the default vehicle for low‑cost, bipartisan Senate bills; it requires two‑thirds of members present. Leadership can sequence S.2110 once shutdown leverage subsides or as part of a non‑controversial package. [12]Congressional Research Service / Congress.gov — CRS: Suspension of the Rules in…
  • Institutional context: Unified GOP control of the White House and both chambers reduces veto risk and inter‑chamber friction, but the current shutdown has leadership prioritizing CR/appropriations over policy sidecars. [4]Reuters — Republicans win control of U.S. Senate (Nov. 6, 2024)[20]Associated Press — Republicans win 218 U.S. House seats[13]Association of Clean Water Administrators — ACWA Weekly Wrap (Week of Sept 29,…
04 · Section

Assessment: likelihood of passage

Bottom line from a vote‑counter’s perspective.

Senate passage likelihood (this session)
85% (High)
House passage likelihood (this session)
60% (Moderate)
Overall enactment likelihood (this session)
65% (Moderate‑High)
  • Why Senate = High: Bipartisan sponsorship, voice vote in EPW, and placement on the calendar point to a UC path absent a hold. [1]U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works — EPW Committee Advances…[2]Library of Congress — S.2110 — REUSE Act of 2025 (Congress.gov) — Actions and C…
  • Why House = Moderate: Policy is low‑salience and low‑cost, but needs two‑thirds under Suspension and must compete with shutdown/CR floor time; still, Democrats plus a slice of GOP likely clear the bar when scheduled. [12]Congressional Research Service / Congress.gov — CRS: Suspension of the Rules in…[8]Office of the Speaker of the House — Speaker.gov — Mike Johnson updates (Oct. 2…[13]Association of Clean Water Administrators — ACWA Weekly Wrap (Week of Sept 29,…
  • Key near‑term indicator: Inclusion on a Senate UC “wrap‑up” list in November/December; on the House side, appearance on a Suspension Monday notice from E&C/leadership. [7]Cambridge University Press — Hill‑speak primer (hotline and UC)
05 · Section

Core sourcing for claims

Selected authoritative references used above.

  • Bill status and calendar placement: Congress.gov S.2110 page (Actions/Calendar). [2]Library of Congress — S.2110 — REUSE Act of 2025 (Congress.gov) — Actions and C…
  • EPW committee action and vote method (voice vote): EPW Majority News release, Oct 29, 2025. [1]U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works — EPW Committee Advances…
  • Chamber control and leadership: Senate party division (senate.gov); Thune majority‑leader confirmation; House leadership (house.gov), Speaker site. [3]U.S. Senate — Party Division — 119th Congress[5]Senate Republican Leader Office — Thune Delivers First Remarks as Senate Majori…[9]U.S. House of Representatives — House.gov — Leadership page[8]Office of the Speaker of the House — Speaker.gov — Mike Johnson updates (Oct. 2…
  • House committee jurisdiction and chair: Energy & Commerce site and committee print/announcements. [11]House Committee on Energy & Commerce — House Energy & Commerce — Subcommittee o…[10]House Committee on Energy & Commerce — House Energy & Commerce — Organizational…
  • Procedural references: Senate hotline/UC primer; House Suspension of the Rules (CRS). [7]Cambridge University Press — Hill‑speak primer (hotline and UC)[12]Congressional Research Service / Congress.gov — CRS: Suspension of the Rules in…
  • Context: GOP control post‑election; ongoing shutdown impacts on scheduling. [4]Reuters — Republicans win control of U.S. Senate (Nov. 6, 2024)[20]Associated Press — Republicans win 218 U.S. House seats[13]Association of Clean Water Administrators — ACWA Weekly Wrap (Week of Sept 29,…
  • Interest‑group signals: NGO sign‑on letter; beverage industry circularity/reuse exploration. [18]Chesapeake Network / Center for Biological Diversity et al. — Chesapeake Networ…[19]American Beverage Association — ABA blog: Five Years of Progress — WWF and ABA…
Sources cited
  1. [1] EPW Committee Advances Nominations, Resolutions, and Bipartisan Legislation at Business Meeting (Oct. 29, 2025) U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
  2. [2] S.2110 — REUSE Act of 2025 (Congress.gov) — Actions and Calendar No. 225 Library of Congress
  3. [3] Party Division — 119th Congress U.S. Senate
  4. [4] Republicans win control of U.S. Senate (Nov. 6, 2024) Reuters
  5. [5] Thune Delivers First Remarks as Senate Majority Leader (Jan. 3, 2025) Senate Republican Leader Office
  6. [6] United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works — Chair/Ranking (119th) U.S. Senate EPW Committee
  7. [7] Hill‑speak primer (hotline and UC) Cambridge University Press
  8. [8] Speaker.gov — Mike Johnson updates (Oct. 2025) Office of the Speaker of the House
  9. [9] House.gov — Leadership page U.S. House of Representatives
  10. [10] House Energy & Commerce — Organizational meeting notice (Chair Brett Guthrie) House Committee on Energy & Commerce
  11. [11] House Energy & Commerce — Subcommittee on Environment (jurisdiction incl. Solid Waste Disposal Act) House Committee on Energy & Commerce
  12. [12] CRS: Suspension of the Rules in the House: Principal Features (98‑314) Congressional Research Service / Congress.gov
  13. [13] ACWA Weekly Wrap (Week of Sept 29, 2025): Shutdown context for EPA operations Association of Clean Water Administrators
  14. [14] Merkley press release announcing REUSE Act introduction (June 18, 2025) Office of Sen. Jeff Merkley
  15. [15] Bill responding to drone sightings is blocked in the Senate Associated Press
  16. [16] U.S. Senate rejects bid to fast‑track anti‑drone bill Reuters
  17. [17] Web search · turn 11 #0
  18. [18] Chesapeake Network: NGO sign‑on letter supporting REUSE Act (Oct. 2025) Chesapeake Network / Center for Biological Diversity et al.
  19. [19] ABA blog: Five Years of Progress — WWF and ABA partnership (reuse/refill exploration) American Beverage Association
  20. [20] Republicans win 218 U.S. House seats Associated Press

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