Top Republican keeps job as new US Congress opens

The 113th Congress welcomed dozens of new members Thursday to long-festering national problems, deficits and immigration among them, in an intensely partisan and crisis-driven era of divided government.
Top Republican keeps job as new US Congress opens

The top Republican in Washington was narrowlyre-elected to his powerful job as the new Congress opened for business, despitea mini-revolt in his own party over the "fiscal cliff" deal and abruising fight over Superstorm Sandy recovery legislation.

The 113th Congress welcomed dozens of new members Thursdayto long-festering national problems, deficits and immigration among them, in anintensely partisan and crisis-driven era of divided government.

House Speaker John Boehner kept his job in a governmentwhere President Barack Obama will soon be sworn in to a second term and hisfellow Democrats control the Senate. Fourteen Republicans declined to vote forBoehner, a reflection of their unhappiness with his leadership, but severalmore defections would have been needed to deny him a first-ballot victory.

Next on the agenda for the new Congress is a vote onnational flood insurance legislation to help victims of Superstorm Sandy, whichbattered New York and New Jersey communities in October.

Boehner promised the vote would take place Friday, changingcourse after he was blasted by members of his own party Wednesday for puttingit off. If it passes as expected, the bill will create slightly more than $9billion in additional deficits.

A follow-up disaster aid measure, which Boehner has saidwill be brought to a vote on Jan. 15, would add $27 billion — more if the billgrows, as seems likely, after it is reconciled with a $60-billion Senateversion.

The backlash over Boehner's handling of the Sandylegislation came on the heels of a near-rebellion by tax-opposing conservativesover a deal to avoid the "fiscal cliff," a self-imposed Jan. 1deadline for widespread tax increases and deep spending cuts to take hold. Thedeal finally passed late Tuesday to raise taxes on the richest Americans whileprotecting the middle class and the poor.

Obama signed the bill early Thursday.

Boehner must now shepherd Congress through new battles overraising the country's $16.4 trillion borrowing limit and $109 billion inspending cuts for the military and domestic programs, which this week's fiscalcliff deal delayed by just two months.

Moments after grasping an oversized gavel that symbolizeshis authority, Boehner implored the assembly of newcomers and veterans totackle the nation's heavy burden of debt at long last. "We have to bewilling — truly willing — to make this right," he said.

"The American dream is in peril so long as its namesakeis weighed down by this anchor of debt," Boehner said.

Only Congress has the power to raise the debt limit.

Republicans have said they intend to seek significantsavings from government health care and other benefit programs to gain controlover spending. Obama has said he won't bargain over the government's borrowingauthority. He has also said he is open to changes in benefit programs, butwould face resistance on that from liberal Democrats.

Republicans kept their majority in the House but will have asmaller advantage, 235-199. Democrats tightened their grip on the Senate for a55-45 edge, ensuring that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will remain incharge.

Reid had a bad week himself, after his frustrated Republicancounterpart in the Senate instead reached out to Vice President Joe Biden, aSenate veteran, to put together the eventual fiscal cliff deal.

Reid said he, too, is ready for attempts to rein in federalspending, but laid down a few conditions.

"Any future budget agreements must balance the need forthoughtful spending reductions with revenue from the wealthiest among us andclosing wasteful tax loopholes," he said. That was in keeping with Obama'sremarks after Congress had agreed on fiscal cliff legislation to raise taxesfor the wealthy while keeping them level for the middle class.

Boehner and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell haveother ideas, both having said in recent days that the days of raising taxes areover.

"Now is the time to get serious about spending,"McConnell said. "And if the past few weeks have taught us anything, thatmeans the president needs to show up early this time."

While neither Boehner nor Reid mentioned immigration intheir opening-day speeches, Obama is expected to highlight the issue in thefirst State of the Union address of his new term. Lawmakers are already workingtoward a compromise they hope can clear both houses.

Most Democrats have long favored legislation togive millions of illegal immigrants a chance at citizenship, and Republicanshave stoutly resisted. Now, though, many Republicans appear ready toreconsider, after watching with alarm as Obama ran up an estimated 71 percentof the Hispanic vote in winning re-election over Mitt Romney in November.

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