The Democratic midterm election victory will not likely create a groundswell of anti-business legislation. But the prospect of Democrats taking over Congress next year will alter radically at least one aspect of life-as-usual for business interests on Capitol Hill.

In the next few months, lawmakers ranging from Henry Waxman, who will assume the chairmanship of the House government reform committee, to Bennie Thompson, who will ascend to the top rank of the homeland security committee, will be evaluating which issues they will target for an expected onslaught of congressional investigations and oversight hearings.