Looking at CNN's election map for the House of Representatives, it looks to me as though the Democrats are going to *just barely* squeak by with control of the House. Here is the current state of "decided" elections:
Link (although the numbers will update and change)
Both houses of congress are organized by committees, each with its own sphere of influence. With few exceptions, the work of any one committee, say, the Intelligence Committee, neither hinders nor helps the work of another with respect to drafting bills, holding hearings, etc.
1) Day 0: Any Congressional Committee sends the current senior executive of any federal department or agency a polite request for documents and testimony at a time of mutual convenience. The deadline to make arrangements is 2 weeks from the date of the offer for a meeting within an additional 2 weeks.
