Biden hosts congressional leaders to discuss agenda
WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden hosted congressional leaders at the White House on Tuesday to discuss his agenda for the remainder of the year, as he looks to ensure government funding and lock in more legislative wins before Democrats lose control of the House in January.
The meeting comes as the government faces a Dec. 16 shutdown if lawmakers don’t agree on funding legislation to keep the lights on. Biden also wants that legislation to provide additional money for the COVID-19 response and to bolster U.S. support for Ukraine’s economy and defense against Russia’s invasion. Biden has also called on Congress to step in and impose a tentative agreement between railroads and workers to avert a potentially crippling freight rail strike on Dec. 9.
“We’re going to work together, I hope, to fund the government,” Biden told lawmakers, emphasizing the importance of Ukraine and pandemic funding as well.
Biden said the “economy’s at risk” because of the looming rail strike, and he said he is “confident” that Congress could act to avert it. “There’s a lot to do, including resolving the train strike,” he said.
Biden sat at the head of the table, flanked on either side by Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the two smiling brightly at the top of the meeting as the president spoke.
Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy sat next to Schumer, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell was next to Pelosi in the Roosevelt Room, and they were more reserved.
Biden quipped: “I’m sure this is going to go very quickly” to reach agreement on everything.
McCarthy is working to become speaker in January, though he must first overcome dissent within the GOP conference to win a floor vote on Jan. 3.
Congress is also taking up legislation to codify same-sex marriage, raise the debt limit and reform the Electoral Count Act in a bid to prevent another attempt like in 2020 when then-President Donald Trump and allied lawmakers tried to overturn the will of voters in the presidential election he lost to Biden.