Doing away with the do-nothing congress

    Soon to be Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says that he plans to keep senators working long hours and the he is doing away with the current "do-nothing" congress.

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By NEDRA PICKLER
The Associated Press
Wednesday, November 29, 2006; 7:59 AM

WASHINGTON -- Senate Majority Leader-elect Harry Reid said Tuesday he's doing away with the "do-nothing Congress" that Democrats campaigned against and plans to keep senators working long hours _ focusing first on ethics, the minimum wage and stem cell research.

The Nevada Democrat said he would tackle those priorities after cleaning up the "financial mess" the outgoing Republican Congress is leaving behind, a reference to nine long-overdue spending bills covering 13 Cabinet departments for the budget year that began Oct. 1.

"They're just leaving town, it appears," Reid said during an interview with The Associated Press in his Capitol office. "And so we're going to have to find a way to fund the government for the next year."

The must-pass legislation totals more than $460 billion and could divert time from other items on the Democratic agenda. "It's certainly not going to help it," Reid said.

He is wrapping up his final days as Senate minority leader. He will assume control of the Senate's agenda on Jan. 4, when the next Congress convenes with 10 new senators, at least 52 new House members and Democrats holding majorities in both houses for the first time since 1994.

"We're going to put in some hours here that haven't been put in in a long time," Reid said. That means "being here more days in the week, and we start off this year with seven weeks without a break. That hasn't been done in many, many years here.   MORE HERE