WASHINGTON - New Democratic and Republican leaders, trying to break Senate gridlock, announced Tuesday that they will open the new Congress with a closed "bipartisan caucus" to set a more pleasant tone and speed up business.
"We won't always agree but can sit down, side by side, and forge consensus on the issues important to the American people," incoming Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada said in a joint statement with his Republican counterpart, Mitch McConnell.
"I look forward to working with Senator McConnell to establish a new tone and to produce real results next year, and this joint caucus is the first step in that process," Reid added.
"Republicans intend to be as cooperative as possible to help the Senate get off to a good start next year," McConnell, of Kentucky, said.
The Jan. 4 session, to be held on the opening day of the 110th Congress with Democrats in charge, will take place in the Old Senate Chamber before the body begins official legislative business. It will be the first meeting of the full Senate in that chamber since President Clinton's 1999 impeachment trial.
The plans were disclosed Friday, as a Congress still under Republican control was being accused by Democrats of being a "do-nothing" institution. It would establish a precedent expanding the kinds of "executive sessions" that up to now have been relatively rare, so that lawmakers can work better together.
No comments:
Post a Comment