Gannett News Services

Congress will face daunting agenda

JON FRANDSEN, GANNETT NEWS SERVICE

WASHINGTON -- Congress returns to work Wednesday to struggle with a flagging economy, a global war on terrorism, efforts to shore up homeland defense and mounting federal deficits -- and to try to reach consensus during a potentially polarizing election year when control of both chambers is up for grabs.

It doesn't stop there.

Congress might also have to grapple with a range of other politically treacherous issues including welfare changes, health care, the environment, judicial appointments, the federal farm subsidy program, campaign finance, the minimum wage, Social Security and Medicare changes and an anti-missile defense system.

And that's not taking into account President Bush's agenda, which he is expected to lay out in his State of the Union address Jan. 29 and in his budget proposal in early February.

Taking up these issues, however, is a far cry from actually passing laws. Early indications are that except for issues related to the war on terrorism, accomplishments could be difficult, although not impossible, to come by.

While Congress and President Bush managed to agree on a variety of Sept. 11-related issues and on a major bipartisan education bill, by the end of the session in December, it was evident that partisan cooperation would be hard to come by.

"We are going to see a lot of shadowboxing for the November election. ... We got a preview at the end of the session of just how difficult things might be. Nonetheless, Congress might get some things done if for no other reason than politicians want accomplishments to show voters," said congressional analyst Marshall Wittmann of the conservative Hudson Institute.

Even though Congress has been gone about a month, the battling never really stopped.

The session ended on a fairly dismal note when the Senate gave up on efforts to pass an economic stimulus bill because of the major differences between most Democrats and the GOP.

On the offensive

Bush has been out pushing his plan this month, bolstered by the support of some moderate to conservative Democrats. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., outlined his own version as part of a speech attacking the president on the economy and criticizing his tax cut.

The primary difference is over how to provide unemployed workers with health insurance, and how much and where tax cuts should be made to give the economy an extra boost.

The two weeks of jousting have made clear the lines of attack that will be used in the nearly yearlong congressional campaign. Democrats will try to tie the recession to Bush and to blame his tax cut for the red ink that has replaced once-healthy government surpluses. Even though Daschle and most Democrats have not actually called for repealing some of the tax cuts, Republicans will accuse them of wanting to raise taxes in an economic downturn and will accuse Daschle of blocking Bush's initiatives.

Congressional Republicans are feeling extremely confident right now because of Bush's huge popularity. Their own approval ratings are higher than they have been in years and now surpass those of the Democrats.

But political winds shift suddenly, and the GOP could share the blame if gridlock prevails and little major legislation passes.

Democrats are being cautious about attacking Bush, rallying to his side on terrorism issues and singing his praises for the prosecution of the war in Afghanistan and building a global anti-terror coalition.

Stalwart liberal Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., one of the few Democrats to actually call for repealing parts of the Bush tax cut, put it this way recently: "We can and should support President Bush's conduct of the war and still ask the administration to join us in addressing the urgent needs of our people in areas like jobs, education, health care and equal rights."

Holdover issues

Many issues facing Congress have been ones where polarized ideologies have stymied consensus for years: prescription drugs for seniors, a patients' bill of rights, Social Security changes, campaign finance changes and the appointment of federal judges.

Michael Franc, who watches Congress for the conservative Heritage Foundation, said debates over the whole range of issues really come down to different world views of the parties: Should government be bigger and have greater reach, or should it be smaller and have less power?

"2002 is the year Congress and the administration have to make a fundamental decision. ... There is a whole range of responsibilities the government is being asked to assume" after the attacks on New York and Washington, Franc said.

The Olympian Copyright 2002

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