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As work begins on the new session, President Barack Obama says he hopes leaders recognize that stimulating the economy is the top priority. Woodlands Republican Kevin Brady says winning control of the House was a message from the people.
“The dynamics changed dramatically. I think a lot of the bad things that we saw last session that the public rejected, such as cap and trade and higher taxes. Those are dead on arrival. They won’t occur in the House. What you’ll see is a focus on getting the budget back within its means.”
Sugar Land Republican Pete Olson says his constituents tell him they want to create a competitive economy.
“And that’s something that the American people, I believe, have put the Republicans back in charge again. I mean, stop the runaway spending and put some certainty back in our private markets, so we can start growing our economy and creating jobs…jobs, jobs, jobs.”
It is no secret that Republicans will be doing all they can to undo some of the work by the previous Congress. Houston Representative John Culberson says the constitutional conservative majority now in the House will be focused on getting the government to function the way it was designed by the founders.
“Our highest priority as a new majority is to grow the economy and to create jobs. And to do so, you have to get the government out of people’s pockets, out of their ways, and allow businesses to grow and prosper, and people to invest and spend and save their money as they wish with as little interference from the government as possible.”
But he says working with Democrats is essential.
“As a new majority, obviously gonna do everything we can to find areas of common ground and you’ll see a lot of that. But the country did give the new Republican majority a mandate to follow the constitution, to abolish Obama-care, and we intend to follow the will of the voters.”
With repeal of the health care law a virtual long shot, since Democrats still control the senate and Republicans don’t have the votes to override a veto by the president, Houston Democrat Sheila Jackson Lee says she hopes her GOP colleagues keep their sites on pressing needs.
“I hope they will overcome any idea of division, to make sure that we get all the resources that are necessary to help promote our children in education, healthcare, and certainly in creating jobs.”