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      New US Senate Leader Pledges Cooperation with Obama on Trade, Taxes

   by VOA News

   The leader of the new Republican majority in the U.S. Senate says he
   will work with Democratic President Barack Obama to approve key
   legislation they can agree on, especially international trade pacts and
   tax reform.

   A day after Republicans won a sweeping victory to take full control of
   Congress, Senator Mitch McConnell said he and the president agreed in a
   telephone call to look for issues where they could reach accord.

   McConnell said that one message of the election is that a politically
   divided government need not result in continued gridlock in Washington.

   "There are a lot of people who believe that just because you have
   divided government does not mean you do not accomplish anything," he
   said.

   Obama said at a press conference that he is looking for broad agreement
   with Congress, but acknowledged the Republican Congress is likely to
   approve some legislation he cannot sign. McConnell agreed that the
   president might veto some Republican legislation.

   The Republican control of the Senate and House of Representatives come
   January would be the party's first since 2007.

   Democrats held 55 of the Senate's 100 seats before Tuesday's
   congressional elections, but Republicans gained at least seven seats
   with wins in Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Montana, North Carolina, South
   Dakota and West Virginia, with three races undecided on Wednesday.

   The results were a stinging rebuff to Obama, who was not on the ballot,
   but said his policies were.  He invited congressional leaders to the
   White House for a Friday meeting to discuss legislative priorities.

   While taking over Senate control come January, Republicans added at
   least 14 seats in the 435-member House, where they already held 233
   seats.  It will be the Republicans' biggest majority since the 1940s.

   House Speaker John Boehner said the Republican-controlled Congress will
   work on energy and jobs legislation that he says Senate Democrats have
   been stalling while in control.  He said "it is time for government to
   start getting results."

   With control of Congress, McConnell said Republicans will address
   disputes with Obama over his signature legislative achievement, health
   care reform.  Many Republicans view the law as excessive government
   involvement and have repeatedly called for its repeal.

   Obama said again Wednesday he will set new immigration rules by
   executive order by the end of the year, but McConnell said he hopes
   that will not occur.

   Some Republicans already are saying they will seek to block the
   president from unilaterally changing the country's immigration policies
   to allow millions of migrants who entered illegally to stay in the
   United States.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/mcconnell-obama-election/2509761.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/mcconnell-obama-election/2509761.html