Washington's Functionality to Be Tested in 2016_美文

Washington's Functionality to Be Tested in 2016

Washington's Functionality to Be Tested in 20161

Americans witnessed a rarity at the end of 2015: a functioning Congress that enacted major legislation with bipartisan support. For 2016, Republican leaders in both chambers are promising a return to the traditional legislative procedures under which Congress operated decades ago – an intention that will be tested in an election year.

From funding the U.S. government to upgrading America's overburdened highways to boosting the nation's cyber security, the Republican-led Congress passed a flurry of bills that President Barack Obama, a Democrat, enthusiastically signed into law.

"I feel good about what we've been able to accomplish in just a few short weeks," said House Speaker Paul Ryan before Congress adjourned for the remainder of the year. "And I feel very good about where we are going in the next year."

Seeking compromise

"When the American people elect divided government, they are not saying 'don't do anything.' They are saying, 'look for the things you can agree on,'" McConnell said.

Democrats, who lost their Senate majority in 2014, claimed some of the credit.

"When Republicans were in the minority, their goal was obstruction," said Democratic Senator Patty Murray. "Now that Democrats are in the minority, our goal is helping the middle class, and we are willing to work with Republicans to achieve that."