GOP Senators to Lay Out Agenda
Emboldened with ideas aired at two private retreats, Senate Republicans are planning as soon as Thursday to release their 2007–2008 legislative agenda, which they hope will help the 21 GOP senators up for re-election next year keep their seats.
"It will be a document of what we stand for and why," said a leadership aide. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and his two deputies, Trent Lott and Jon Kyl, will join in a press conference to lay out their broad message, said the aide. "This is 30,000-feet-in-the-air stuff, not a bunch of in-the-weeds specifics."
While the Republicans are trying to keep the agenda secret until Thursday, one insider said it will propose broad healthcare benefits, a bid to make the Bush tax cuts permanent, and a new energy plan. Several other issues will be included. The plan is based in part on what GOP senators brought up during two retreats. A source said that several believed the 2006 losses were due in part to a lack of a positive agenda.
In addition, all GOP senators were asked to fill out a survey to help prioritize the major issues. Another leadership aide said that the package "basically shows what we are for and [helps] to positively contrast us with the Democrats." Both aides said it is hoped that the agenda will aid members up for re-election, though the GOP believes that only about four of them are in real danger.
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