Biden Meets with Congressional Leaders to Discuss End-of-Year Agenda at White House

Washington — President Biden met with top congressional leaders to discuss legislative priorities for the rest of the year. meeting.

Schumer, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Vice President Kamala Harris attended a meeting in the Roosevelt Room on Tuesday, attended the group’s first meeting since the midterm elections. Many Democrats Want and Need to Achieve I will manage both rooms in the coming weeks.

A top priority for Biden and congressional leaders is passing congressional resolutions enforcing contract agreements brokered by the White House and union leaders but rejected by workers in multiple unions, leading to a nationwide rail strike. is to avoid Experts warn that the rail strike could wreak havoc on his supply chain and exacerbate price inflation ahead of the holiday season.Mr. Biden urged Congress to intervene He told reporters on Monday night and Tuesday that he was “confident” that a crisis could be prevented.

Biden said on Tuesday, “I asked four top leaders in Congress if they were willing to discuss what they would do between now and Christmas on legislation.” There are so many things…and I think Congress must act to prevent that.It’s not an easy request, but I think we have to do it.”

After the meeting, Pelosi said Democrats would submit the union agreement to the House of Representatives on Wednesday morning.Schumer said he and McConnell would work to get the bill passed “as soon as possible.”

Congress leaders also discussed ways to fund the government ahead of the Dec. 16 deadline. Schumer said leaders in this room want to pass a long-term comprehensive financing bill rather than funding the government with short-term, long-term solutions. I was.

“There was good intentions in this room and a desire to work together to solve this problem,” Schumer said of the government funding.

The White House said the president “told his Republican colleagues that whatever their differences, he was always interested in finding new common ground, and he kept the door open to hear their views on doing so.” said,’ he said.

Congress’ long to-do list also includes Tuesday’s final vote. Marriage Respect Act To protect same-sex and interracial marriage. Lawmakers will also have to pass the annual National Defense Authorization Act, and Democrats want to pass bipartisan legislation to reform how Congress counts electoral votes.

On the railroad front, some Republicans have begun to speak out against congressional intervention, and as Senator Marco Rubio of Florida put it, the parties are back at the negotiating table, saying that “workers We should make an acceptable and fair agreement.”

“Just because Congress has the power to impose heavy-handed solutions doesn’t mean we should,” Rubio said in a statement Tuesday. It would be wrong for a Biden administration to ask Congress to impose a deal that the workers themselves rejected.”

Next year’s leadership will not be decided by the House. Pelosi has announced after the midterm elections that she will not seek a leadership role in the upcoming Congress, but she will remain in office. Instead, she will take over as party leader. rallied around several Democrats to Including Rep. Hakeem JeffriesMcCarthy wins Republican nomination for chairman, but it remains to be seen if he will attract 218 votes He needs to take the gavel in January.

Gillian Morley contributed to this report.