GOP Congress storms into Trump era
GOP Congress storms into Trump era
BY Jordain Carney THE HILL
Congressional Republicans are returning to Washington on Tuesday with high hopes for a new era under President-Elect Donald Trump.
GOP lawmakers are eager to start work on an ambitious legislative agenda after gaining control of both Congress and the White House for the first time in a decade.
Though many congressional Republicans tepidly embraced Trump during the campaign, they're increasingly optimistic that they'll be able to work with him to pass big-ticket items like tax reform that have been non-starters during the Obama years.
Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), a member of House leadership, said his Republican colleagues were "almost giddy" about the new session that's beginning.
"[Trump's] really reached out to Congress in the transition," he said. "We've got so much more favorable relationship with the new administration. ...We know if we can get things to the president's desk that they'll be signed."
Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) echoed those remarks, telling a local radio station that Republican lawmakers are "beside ourselves" with excitement.
The era of good feeling is spilling over into the upper chamber, where GOP senators will be responsible for clearing Trump's Cabinet nominees as well as approving his pick to fill the late Justice Antonin Scalia's Supreme Court seat.
GOP Sen. David Perdue (Ga.) called the first 100 days - long used as a yardstick for presidential achievement - "an enormous moment of opportunity."
READ MORE: http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/gop...
BY Jordain Carney THE HILL
Congressional Republicans are returning to Washington on Tuesday with high hopes for a new era under President-Elect Donald Trump.
GOP lawmakers are eager to start work on an ambitious legislative agenda after gaining control of both Congress and the White House for the first time in a decade.
Though many congressional Republicans tepidly embraced Trump during the campaign, they're increasingly optimistic that they'll be able to work with him to pass big-ticket items like tax reform that have been non-starters during the Obama years.
Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), a member of House leadership, said his Republican colleagues were "almost giddy" about the new session that's beginning.
"[Trump's] really reached out to Congress in the transition," he said. "We've got so much more favorable relationship with the new administration. ...We know if we can get things to the president's desk that they'll be signed."
Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) echoed those remarks, telling a local radio station that Republican lawmakers are "beside ourselves" with excitement.
The era of good feeling is spilling over into the upper chamber, where GOP senators will be responsible for clearing Trump's Cabinet nominees as well as approving his pick to fill the late Justice Antonin Scalia's Supreme Court seat.
GOP Sen. David Perdue (Ga.) called the first 100 days - long used as a yardstick for presidential achievement - "an enormous moment of opportunity."
READ MORE: http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/gop...
