President Joe Biden mapped out an ambitious set of legislative priorities for the remainder of the year during a meeting at the White House with congressional leaders on Tuesday to plan their lame-duck session before the new Congress arrives, The Washington Times reported.
Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy attended the meeting, as well as Vice President Kamala Harris.
"I've asked the leaders of Congress to come in and talk about what we're going to do by Christmas," Biden said. "There is much to be done, including resolving the train strike."
A nationwide rail strike threatens to cripple the country's economy unless a deal is achieved between rail workers and hauliers by the Dec. 9 deadline.
Experts warn a strike could create even more havoc on supply chains and worsen inflationary prices before the holiday season, CBS News reported.
Biden on Monday urged Congress to step in to avert the potential strike.
After the meeting between Biden and the congressional leaders, Pelosi said Democrats will bring the union deal to the House floor on Wednesday. Schumer said he and McConnell will work to pass the bill "ASAP."
Biden also wants Congress to find a way to reach a deal to keep the government funded beyond Dec. 16, as well as work on the coronavirus response and approve money to help Ukraine in the war against the Russian invaders, according to The Washington Times.
The White House said Biden "told his Republican colleagues that whatever disagreements they may have, he is always interested in finding new common ground, and that he has an open door to hear their perspectives about doing so," CBS News reported.
The meeting was Biden's first with congressional leaders since the midterm elections. Republicans will take control of the House in January.
Schumer said the group "made some good progress" and that "there was good will in the room and a desire to come together and solve" the problem of government funding.
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.