New US Congress Convenes as Republicans Take Over Both Chambers

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, January 08, 2003

New US Congress Convenes as Republicans Take Over Both Chambers

The 108th US Congress convened Tuesday as Republicans officially took control of both chambers, positioning themselves to set the agenda to push President George W. Bush's policy priorities.

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The 108th US Congress convened Tuesday as Republicans officially took control of both chambers, positioning themselves to set the agenda to push President George W. Bush's policy priorities.

New members of the House of Representatives and the Senate weresworn in shortly after the noon and started work for a two-year legislative session.

The first legislation to be debated would be a bill on an extension of jobless benefits for the 800,000 Americans that expired last month. Bush must sign the bill by Thursday to avoid any disruption in payments to those unemployed.

Republicans took over control of the Senate and expanded their majority in the House in the Nov. 5 elections. Republicans have a 51-48 majority in the Senate plus one independent and have a 229-205 margin in the House, plus one independent.

This will put them in a better position to push Bush's priorities important for his re-election bid. But their majority in each chamber is not broad enough to prevent Democrats from blocking their agenda or forcing changes on a number of fronts.

One of the fronts would be a 600-billion-dollar economic stimulus plan Bush unveiled in Chicago on Tuesday shortly after Congress convened. The sweeping package would eliminate the taxes individuals pay on stock dividends and accelerate income-tax-rate cuts approved two years ago by the Congress.

In the Senate, Bill Frist of Tennessee replaced Senator Trent Lott of Mississippi as Republican leader, becoming the chamber's new majority leader. Lott was forced to step aside last month after making racially charged remarks.

Tom Daschle of South Dakota, the Democratic leader in the Senate since 1994, will be minority leader. In a surprise move, heannounced shortly before the Congress inauguration that he will not run for president in 2004.

In the House, Nancy Pelosi of California was sworn in as Democratic leader, becoming the first woman to head a party in either chamber. Her predecessor, Dick Gephardt of Missouri, stepped aside from a post he had occupied for the past eight years.

Dennis Hastert, a Republican from Illinois, was certain to be re-elected as House speaker.

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