Hill Democrats, Republicans set 2014 agendas with midterm elections in mind

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Fox News:

Congressional Democrats and Republicans sharpened their political knives Sunday as lawmakers return to Washington this week to begin executing legislative agendas designed to help their respective parties in the November elections.

 

The first major battle will likely be over restoring long-term unemployment benefits, with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid scheduled to hold a preliminary vote Monday on the issue.

 

“The first thing we want to get done is extend unemployment benefits,” he told Fox News on Sunday.

 

The benefits were not included in a two-year budget deal Congress reached before adjourning for winter break, but not before House Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, made clear the money will not be restored unless offset but other spending cuts.

 

The White House is also apply pressure on congressional Republicans, issuing a statement on New Year’s Day that said President Obama supports the bipartisan Senate bill to reinstate benefits for the 1.3 million Americans who lost the insurance in the new budget deal.

 

Other Republicans have hinted they might go along with extending benefits if they win spending cuts from Reid elsewhere to pay for them.

 

"If the senator comes up with any kind of a reasonable idea to offset the $26 billion, I think that he might find some people that are willing to talk to him," Rep. Matt Salmon, R-Ariz., said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”

 

Obama has already scheduled a White House event on Tuesday with some whose benefits expired at the end of December.

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The battle is joined...