奥巴马与参议院新领袖承诺尽可能合作 Obama,New US Senate Leader Pledge Cooperation,with Limits

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星期二的国会选举已经结束,共和党人明年将掌控国会两院。奥巴马总统期待着与共和党议员寻求共同立场。

奥巴马邀请国会领袖们星期五前往白宫讨论立法重点。奥巴马所属的民主党在星期二的选举中惨败。共和党人赢得了控制参议院的足够席位,同时强化了对众议院的掌控。

奥巴马星期三对记者说,他相信怒气冲冲的政党能够在一些问题上达成一致。

与此同时,预计将成为参议院多数党领袖的肯塔基州共和党参议员麦康奈尔表示,将与奥巴马总统共同努力,争取国会批准国际贸易协议和税制改革。麦康奈尔还说,他们在电话交谈中同意寻找能够达成一致的议题。

麦康奈尔说,中期选举传达的一个信息就是,有政治分歧的政府不应当带来华盛顿持续的政治僵局。

奥巴马在一次新闻发布会上说,他将与国会寻求广泛一致,但是承认共和党控制的国会可能会通过一些他拒绝签署的法案。麦康奈尔也认为总统可能会否决一些共和党的法案。

双方争论的焦点之一可能在今年年底前出现。奥巴马反复承诺他将单方改变美国的移民政策,此举将使数百万非法进入美国的移民能够留在美国。麦康奈尔说,他希望总统不会这样做。

但是奥巴马说,他会采取这一行动,因为共和党控制的众议院迟迟没有对参议院通过的一项全面移民法案作出反应。

With Tuesday's congressional elections behind him, U.S. President Barack Obama is looking to reach common ground with Republican lawmakers who are poised to take full control of Congress next year.

Mr. Obama has invited congressional leaders to the White House for a Friday meeting to discuss legislative priorities.  The president's Democratic Party suffered humiliating losses in Tuesday's elections, as Republicans won enough seats to win control of the Senate and tighten their grip on the House.  

The president told reporters Wednesday he is certain there are some issues the fractious American political parties can agree on.

Meanwhile, the presumptive Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, said he will work with Mr. Obama to win approval on international trade pacts and tax reform, and said they agreed in a telephone call to look for issues where they could reach agreement.

McConnell said one message of the election is that a politically divided government need not result in continued gridlock in Washington.

Mr. Obama said at a news conference that he is looking for broad agreement with Congress, but acknowledged the Republican Congress is likely to approve some legislation he cannot sign. McConnell agreed that the president might veto some Republican legislation.

One point of contention could emerge before the end of the year. Mr. Obama repeated his promise to unilaterally change the country's immigration policies, a move that could allow millions of migrants who entered the country illegally to stay in the United States. McConnell said he hopes the president will not take such action.

But Mr. Obama said he will act because the Republican-controlled House of Representatives has balked at acting on a comprehensive immigration measure approved by the Senate.