November’s midterm elections provided an outline for where the country is headed politically for the next two years and the results are largely positive for the oil and gas industry. Scott Segal, founding partner at Bracewell & Guiliani, said the results, which saw the Republican Party take control of the U.S. Senate while maintaining control of the House of Representatives, represent a return to the regular order of business.

During a webinar held by the law firm to discuss the results and their ramifications on legislation and regulation, Segal said that this regular order signifies that congressional members will once again offer amendments and legislation rather than trying to stymie the opposition party. This includes taking up some of the legislation in the Senate that already passed in the House. While this doesn’t sound like such a big change, it is when you consider that the current Senate only took up a total of seven amendments.

The reason these results are likely to result in smoother legislative sailing is not just because of one party controlling both the House and Senate, but because of the expected new Senate Majority Leader, Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.

According to Segal, McConnell’s decades of experience and status as a long-time student of the Senate will help him keep order while also reaching across the aisle to see legislation get through the Senate.

Segal stated that while it isn’t yet known what will be the main focus for the new Senate, it is likely that energy legislation, including LNG exports to non-free trade agreement countries and the Keystone XL Pipeline, will be focal points based on their place in the Republican agenda. It is expected that the Senate will vote on legislation that previously passed the House that seeks approval for the Keystone XL, but the timing for such a vote is unknown.

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