WASHINGTON (DC) – Congressman Tom Reed is focusing on the future as he approaches another term in Congress that will start in January.
During a conference call with reporters Thursday morning, Reed told WNYNewsNow that he’s learned about a few core concerns that many of his constituents have. Reed said these issues, both short and long-term, need to be highlighted in Congress.
“For one, to continue to stand up to extremism that was represented in the contrasted choice in the election just a week-plus ago,” Reed said. “To try to find common ground, to try to find the solutions for things like healthcare, infrastructure, workforce development as well as workforce under our immigration policy.”
“I think highlighting those four areas is something I heard from folks across the district as things to work on and focus on. Long-term, I started to hear a lot of concern about the national debt, and how it’s becoming unsustainable.”
WNYNewsNow also asked Reed for his thoughts on a Nov. 5 Washington Post article detailing criticism from members of both parties regarding the Problem Solvers Caucus that Reed serves on as the Republican Co-Chair. Reed urges his critics to carefully analyze the rules reform that the caucus is pushing for.
“I would have them pay attention to the rules reform that we are going to accomplish in very short order that is going to change the institution in a way that hasn’t been changed in 80-plus years,” Reed said. “If that doesn’t speak to the volumes of the sincerity and substance of this caucus, I don’t know what would convey to these people that we’re different than what they concluded in the Washington Post.”
“I think that the Washington Post article is based on a lot of politics and trying to empower folks to carry a message that wasn’t based on fact, and we’ll let the facts that occur over the next foreseeable future be the voice and the evidence for how sincere and powerful this group is.”
Reed led the conference by saying that negotiations are under way with a rules reform package, which he dubbed the “Break the Gridlock” package. The Congressman said he’s proud of the work that’s being accomplished thus far.
“I am proud of the effort that is being put forward in negotiating with the Democratic leadership in regards to Nancy Pelosi seeking the gavel to come up with a speaker-candidate that is committed to reforming the rules of the House (of Representatives), to get the House operating again for the American people,” Reed said. “The cornerstone of our reforms in breaking the gridlock will, essentially, allow this top-down speaker-driven, leadership-controlled organization in the House to delegate that authority back to members, and members who are engaging in consensus, bipartisan legislation, are guaranteed an opportunity to get their legislation to the floor of the House.”
