Restored to power, congressional Democrats pledged on Wednesday to press for a new course in Iraq and move promptly to raise the minimum wage.
"We will not disappoint" the American people, Representative Nancy Pelosi said.
At a news conference in the Capitol, Pelosi, who will become the speaker, or leader of the House of Representatives pledged that Democrats will make the next Congress "the most honest, ethical and open" one in history.
Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid of Nevada both said they would work with President George W. Bush in a bipartisan manner, and they made the same commitment with respect to congressional Republicans.
"If Democrats go in and seek retribution, we lose," agreed Democratic senator-elect Sherrod Brown who defeated two-term Republican Senator Mike DeWine in Ohio.
Pelosi and Reid made their comments before the full extent of the Democrats' triumph was clear.
Several House races remained too close to call, and the size of the new Democratic majority seemed likely to grow by a few seats. And within hours, Democrats gained control of the Senate when Virginia Senator George Allen lost his seat to Democratic challenger Jim Webb.
While Democrats stressed their desire for bipartisanship, they also made clear they intend to use their power.
Several Democrats suggested during the day that Bush meet with leaders to conduct a high-level review of the war in Iraq, a conflict that is unpopular with the public and that polls said had contributed to the Republicans' defeats.
Democratic Representative John Dingell, in line to take back the chairmanship of one powerful committee, told reporters he wants the Federal Communications Commission to postpone its vote on AT&T's proposed acquisition of BellSouth Corp.
"I think it would be in their interest, I think it would be in the interest of the committee and I think it would be in the interest of the public," he said.
Representative Charles Rangel, a Democrat in line to head the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee, declined to discuss possible tax increases or changes in Medicare in an interview with reporters.
He said his top priority was to close the tax gap -- referring to money that taxpayers owe the government but do not pay.
"My only fear is that Republicans might call this an increase in taxes," he said.
The minimum wage increase is one of a handful of measures Pelosi had promised to bring to the floor of the House in the first 100 hours it is in session under Democratic control next January.
Republican congressional leaders have maneuvered successfully to block passage of a minimum wage increase in recent years, but voters in six states approved ballot measures on Tuesday mandating raises.
"When Washington doesn't act, then America does," said Senator Edward Kennedy, who will be chairman of the committee with jurisdiction over the issue.
The federal minimum wage is US$5.15 an hour. Legislation backed by Democrats in the House and Senate would increase it to US$7.25 in three steps, although Pelosi has not yet said precisely what bill she intends to bring to a vote.
Pelosi, following up on a campaign promise, said Democrats would seek passage of several bills in the first days of the new session.
In addition to the minimum wage hike, Democrats will push to implement the recommendations of the commission that investigated the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, and a reduction in the interest rate on student loans. Other items include legislation to promote energy independence, allow expanded stem cell research with federal funds and a call for lower drug prices under the Medicare prescription drug program.
If Democrats were dividing up the spoils of victory, Republicans were sorting out their own future. Representative Dennis Hastert said he would not run for party leader when the new Congress convenes under Democratic control.
That leaves Representative John Boehner, the majority leader, and Representative Mike Pence, a prominent conservative, as rivals for the post.
Representative Joe Barton is another potential contender.
Former Nicaraguan president Violeta Chamorro, who brought peace to Nicaragua after years of war and was the first woman elected president in the Americas, died on Saturday at the age of 95, her family said. Chamorro, who ruled the poor Central American country from 1990 to 1997, “died in peace, surrounded by the affection and love of her children,” said a statement issued by her four children. As president, Chamorro ended a civil war that had raged for much of the 1980s as US-backed rebels known as the “Contras” fought the leftist Sandinista government. That conflict made Nicaragua one of
COMPETITION: The US and Russia make up about 90 percent of the world stockpile and are adding new versions, while China’s nuclear force is steadily rising, SIPRI said Most of the world’s nuclear-armed states continued to modernize their arsenals last year, setting the stage for a new nuclear arms race, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said yesterday. Nuclear powers including the US and Russia — which account for about 90 percent of the world’s stockpile — had spent time last year “upgrading existing weapons and adding newer versions,” researchers said. Since the end of the Cold War, old warheads have generally been dismantled quicker than new ones have been deployed, resulting in a decrease in the overall number of warheads. However, SIPRI said that the trend was likely
BOMBARDMENT: Moscow sent more than 440 drones and 32 missiles, Volodymyr Zelenskiy said, in ‘one of the most terrifying strikes’ on the capital in recent months A nighttime Russian missile and drone bombardment of Ukraine killed at least 15 people and injured 116 while they slept in their homes, local officials said yesterday, with the main barrage centering on the capital, Kyiv. Kyiv City Military Administration head Tymur Tkachenko said 14 people were killed and 99 were injured as explosions echoed across the city for hours during the night. The bombardment demolished a nine-story residential building, destroying dozens of apartments. Emergency workers were at the scene to rescue people from under the rubble. Russia flung more than 440 drones and 32 missiles at Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is to visit Canada next week, his first since relations plummeted after the assassination of a Canadian Sikh separatist in Vancouver, triggering diplomatic expulsions and hitting trade. Analysts hope it is a step toward repairing ties that soured in 2023, after then-Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau pointed the finger at New Delhi’s involvement in murdering Hardeep Singh Nijjar, claims India furiously denied. An invitation extended by new Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to Modi to attend the G7 leaders summit in Canada offers a chance to “reset” relations, former Indian diplomat Harsh Vardhan Shringla said. “This is a
RSS