Reid sets four-part agenda for Congress

Benjamin Grove

Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2001 | 11:07 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., wants Congress this year to focus on four areas: health care, education, economic security and quality-of-life issues.

Reid planned to outline his goals for this year's Congress today at a Las Vegas press conference. Reid is the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate. As minority whip, he spends much of his time on the Senate floor organizing colleagues and leading debate.

Freshman Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., who was sworn in Jan. 3, also has been working on his legislative priorities. He also plans to focus on health care and education issues.

Congress will return to business after President-elect George W. Bush's Inauguration on Saturday. Both Republicans and Democrats pledge to work together on a host of issues.

Reid plans to help set an agenda that centers on:

Reid planned to return to Washington tonight to join his Senate colleagues who are grilling several of Bush's Cabinet appointees this week. The Senate must approve Bush's choices.

For now, Reid is chairman of the Energy and Public Works Committee that is holding a hearing Wednesday on Bush's pick for director of the Environmental Protection Agency: New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman. Reid has said Whitman likely will be confirmed easily.

Reid is committee chairman until Inauguration Day when Republicans take back control of the evenly split Senate. After that, Vice President Dick Cheney will break tie votes.