Tuesday 29 November 2022 05:00 PM Biden meets with Republican and Democrat leaders and calls on them to avert ... trends now
President Biden met with congressional leaders of both parties on Tuesday to discuss lame-duck session priorities, including passing legislation to avert a looming rail strike that could devastate the U.S. economy.
'I asked for Congress, whether they'd be willing to come in and talk about what we're going to do between now and Christmas in terms of legislation,' Biden said at the top of the meeting. 'There's a lot to do in resolving the rail strike,' Biden said.
'Congress has to act to prevent it. It's not an easy call, but I think we have to do it - the economy's at risk.'
Biden also said the group would be talking about government funding, which expires December 16.
'We're going to work together to fund, I hope, we're going to fund the government, Covid and the war in Ukraine - all controversial and consequential issues. And we're going to find other areas of common ground I hope, because the American people want us to work together.'
'I'm going to stop there and get started because I'm sure this is going to go very quickly and everyone's going to agree - all kidding aside, we're here to get work done,' Biden concluded before press was ushered out of the room.
Attending the meeting were House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, D-NY.., Vice President Kamala Harris, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain and others.
Biden met with congressional leaders of both parties on Tuesday to discuss lame-duck session priorities, including passing legislation to avert a looming rail strike that could devastate the U.S. economy
'I'm going to stop there and get started because I'm sure this is going to go very quickly and everyone's going to agree - all kidding aside, we're here to get work done,' Biden concluded before press was ushered out of the room
A looming rail strike on December 9 could cost the U.S. economy $2 billion per day and leave some 765,000 out of work. Biden on Monday evening called on Congress to impose the tentative agreement between rail workers and operators on the remaining four of 12 rail unions that have rejected it.
The September tentative deal reached by labor leaders offered a 24 percent pay raise for rail workers, health care benefits and medical leave. Eight rail unions have ratified their deals and four rail unions are back at the negotiating table, their rank-and-file members dissatisfied with the benefits negotiated by leaders.
The addition of paid sick leave days to the tentative agreement has been a sticking pint.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi responded immediately to say the House would take up a bill to avert the possible strike this week.
'We must recognize that railroads have been selling out to Wall Street to boost their bottom lines, making obscene profits while demanding more and more from railroad workers,' she said in a statement.
'We are reluctant to bypass the standard ratification process for the Tentative Agreement — but we must act to prevent a catastrophic nationwide rail strike.'
''We're going to work together to fund, I hope, we're going to fund the government, Covid and the war in Ukraine - all controversial and consequential issues,' Biden said
She added that the House would take up the agreement with no changes, including to sick leave policy.
Biden, a staunch union backer, has in the past
