WASHINGTON (AP) – Republicans’ resounding victory gives them an opportunity to push legislation that’s been bottled up in the Democratic Senate, from targeting elements of President Barack Obama’s health care law to constructing the Keystone XL oil pipeline to rolling back environmental regulations.
Democrats suffered an electoral drubbing in Tuesday’s midterms, and Republicans regained control of the Senate and widely expanded their majority in the House. In command in both chambers in January, Republicans maintained that they have to show they can govern or else voters will show them the door.
“We now have the votes and we have the ability to call the agenda, so stop name-calling and let’s actually produce some legislation that helps jobs and the economy and moves our country forward,” Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, said in an interview. “I think the country has figured that out and they’ve given us the mandate to do it and we better produce, or they’ll kick us out too.”
House Republicans are counting on Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., in line to be the next Senate majority leader, to move ahead on the dozens of jobs bills that have been passed by the House but remained stalled in the Senate. They also are counting on a swift vote early next year on building the Keystone XL pipeline to carry oil from Canada to the U.S. Gulf Coast now that Republicans clearly have the numbers in the Senate.
“It’s jobs, jobs, jobs,” said Rep. Randy Weber, R-Texas, who also wants to lift the ban on crude oil exports.