OFFICE OF THE MAJORITY LEADER

TRANSCRIPT

On Fox News Addressing Focus of the Next Congress
November 9, 2008

... JON: DEMOCRATS ARE IN A STRONG POSITION ON CAPITOL HILL RIGHT NOW. THEY HAVE BOLSTERED THEIR RANKS. THEY WILL SOON HAVE AN ALLY IN THE WHITE HOUSE, PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA. WHAT IS ON THE AGENDA WHEN THE CONGRESS CONVENES IN JANUARY? STENY HOYER JOINS US NOW. WHAT IS THE NUMBER ONE OF BUSINESS FOR YOU? >> NOW AND ON DAY ONE, WE WILL BE FOCUSED ON THE ECONOMY AND MAKING SURE THAT WORKING FAMILIES IN AMERICA ARE DOING OK. THEY ARE NOT DOING OK RIGHT NOW. THE ECONOMY IS NOT DOING WELL. THAT WILL BE THE PRESIDENT'S FOCUS. IT WILL BE OUR FOCUS AS WE START THE NEXT CONGRESS. WE HAVE A LAME-DUCK SESSION AS THE PRESIDENT-ELECT HAS SUGGESTED, TO DEAL WITH A NUMBER OF MATTERS THAT WE THINK WOULD RELIEVE SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT EXIST OUT THERE. WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE PERHAPS IN NOVEMBER AND EXTENSION OF UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE. WE NOW HAVE OVER 1 MILLION JOBS LOST THIS YEAR ALONE. LOTS OF PEOPLE OUT OF WORK, LOOKING FOR JOBS, CANNOT FIND THEM. FAMILIES LOSING INCOME, HAVING TROUBLE FEEDING THEIR FAMILIES. WE WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE MORE FOOD STAMPS. ALSO, A STIMULUS TO THE ECONOMY. JON: WHAT ABOUT DEMOCRATS BEING IN CHARGE OF BOTH HOUSES OF CONGRESS? YOU HEARD JOHN MCCAIN MAKE IT A HUGE CAMPAIGN ISSUE. OBVIOUSLY, AS A DEMOCRAT YOU DO NOT FEEL THAT WAY. WHAT OF THE ROAD BLOCKS TO DEMOCRATS PASSING ANYTHING THEY WANT? >> THERE ARE NOT ROBOTS, THERE ARE CONSTRAINTS. -- THERE ARE NOT ROAD BLOCKS, THERE ARE CONSTRAINTS. BY THE WAY, I DID NOT HEAR SENATOR MCCAIN COMPLAINING ABOUT ONE PARTY BEING IN CONTROL FROM 2001 THROUGH 2007, THAT IS A NEW FOCUS FOR THE REPUBLICANS. NOT WITHSTANDING, ECONOMIC DOWNTURN IS ONE OF THE MAJOR CONSTRAINTS. WE WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH IN THOSE REMARKS. HAVING SAID THAT, WE WANT TO FOCUS ON THE ECONOMY, TRY TO GET IT MOVING, CREATING JOBS, STABILIZING THE DOWNTURN AND WE HAVE SEEN. THAT WOULD BE OUR FIRST PRIORITY -- STABILIZING THE DOWNTURN THAT WE HAVE SEEN. THAT WILL BE OUR FIRST PRIORITY. MAKING SURE THAT CHILDREN -- MORE CHILDREN ARE ADDED TO THE CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM. MAKING SURE THAT WE COMPLETE OUR APPROPRIATIONS PROCESS. THEN I THINK THAT THE PRESIDENT- ELECT WILL ADDRESS CLEARLY OUR PLEDGE ON THE REDEPLOYMENT IN IRAQ, STARTING THE HEALTH CARE PROCESS OF HOW WE LOOK AT THE AMERICANS GETTING ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE. THAT THE UNINSURED HAVE ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE. EDUCATION AND GLOBAL WARMING WILL BE ON OUR AGENDA. JON: AS YOU ARE SPEAKING, WE ARE WATCHING BARACK OBAMA ASCEND THE STAIRS OF HIS -- WELL, NOT A CAMPAIGN AIRPLANE ANYMORE, BUT THAT IS THE AIRPLANE HE IS ON RIGHT NOW FLYING TO MEET WITH PRESIDENT BUSH. ""THE NEW YORK TIMES CLOSED "" OBVIOUSLY ENDORSED OBAMA, -- ""THE NEW YORK TIMES"" OBVIOUSLY ENDORSED OBAMA, BUT THEY CARRIED A PIECE TODAY SAYING THAT HE IS GOING TO HAVE TO GOVERN FROM THE METAL. SAYING THAT THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS TO THE LEFT OF -- GOVERN FROM THE MIDDLE. SAYING THAT THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS TO THE LEFT OF MOST AMERICANS. >> THAT IS NOT THE CASE, I DO NOT THINK. THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY CONTINUES TO BE WHERE MOST AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE. WE PASSED LEGISLATION IN THE LAST CONGRESS THAT ENJOYED THE SUPPORT OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS BROADLY REPRESENTATIVE, WHICH IS WHY WE WERE SUCCESSFUL. WE'VE PICKED UP A LOT OF REPUBLICAN SEATS. I THINK THAT YOU WILL FIND A DEMOCRATIC PARTY THAT IS GOVERNING FROM THE CENTER. THAT IS THE INTENTION OF PRESIDENT OBAMA, SPEAKER PELOSI, AND SENATOR REID. JON: THANK YOU. >> YOU BET. JON: WE WILL BE RIGHT BACK. . ...