Congress gets back to work this week, with a new majority, and new expectations of getting things done, according to Wisconsin Republican, Representative Paul Ryan of Janesville. “What concerns me is, we’ve got a new Congress that I think is going to be more productive. And we’re going to pass bills that I would argue are very common sense, middle of the road, moderate bills focused on job creation and creating a healthier economy and more jobs for Americans, and all the president has to do is sign this bills and moderate a bit,” said Ryan.
Representative Ron Kind said with the economy moving forward, congress needs to work together and not derail the economy with gridlock. Kind hopes his colleagues got the message from voters in November to work together. “They expect their elected representatives to act like grownups, to get together, talk to each other and work hard to get things done and find some common ground” said the La Crosse Democrat, adding that he’s hoping to work with on the House Ways and Means Committee to find ways to fund the rebuilding of America’s infrastructure.
But Ryan said much of the focus will be on President Barack Obama. “Is he going to try to pick fights with Congress and move to the left for political reasons, or is he going to try to get a few things done? The only person who can answer this question is President Obama.”
The Wisconsin congressional delegation will have a new member – former state Senator Glenn Grothman. “I don’t know much about Representative-elect Grothman,” said Kind. “I’ve known of him in the state legislature. I know he was a bit of a rebel . . . but we’ve had a tradition within the Wisconsin delegation that when there are things that impact the state directly we rally, and we try to work together regardless of party affiliation.”
In addition to Grothman, Kind and Ryan, Wisconsin’s House delegation includes Democrats Mark Pocan of Madison and Gwen Moore of Milwaukee, and Republicans Sean Duffy of Weston, Reid Ribble of Sherwood and Jim Sensenbrenner of Menomonee Falls.
WRJN & WRDN contributed to this report
