People are frustrated with Congress itself

By U.S. Sen. Angus King
(I-Maine)

    Today’s central political reality is that support from both sides of the aisle is necessary to get anything done on behalf of the American people. It’s simple arithmetic. We have a President who’s a Democrat, a House of Representatives controlled by Republicans, and a Senate with a majority of Democrats but which yields substantial power to the minority party. So the bottom line is that we need bipartisan votes.

    What I have been hearing from constituents across Maine this past month, and what I hope my colleagues have also heard, is that people aren’t mad at Democrats or Republicans, but are frustrated with Congress itself. As elected officials, if we want to restore Americans’ faith in the federal government, we must find ways to work together, reach compromise, and enact common sense legislation for the good of the country.
    One observation I think is key to resolving today’s gridlock is the realization that the Senate is highly partisan institutionally, but less so personally. The Senate is structured such that members from the two parties rarely interact; nearly everything we do is divided by caucus. However, at the individual level there is a palpable desire to get things done, which has enabled me to develop productive relationships with my colleagues from across the political spectrum.
    For example, during the height of the most recent filibuster debate, Majority Leader Harry Reid called all the Senators into the Old Senate Chamber, with no staff or press, and for three hours we actually talked to each other, without partisan barriers. Everyone was able to voice their respective concerns, and most importantly, we had an opportunity to listen to one another in a respectful environment. It was a remarkable evening, and I believe it did a lot of good for this body. I hope to see more of that in the future.
    However, there is still a tremendous amount of work that needs to done and for every step forward we seem to take a half step back. The depth of the remaining dysfunction was highlighted with the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development appropriation bill which came to the floor in early August. It was really disappointing to watch the Republican Party abandon my colleague, Senator Susan Collins, who worked tirelessly to usher the bill out of committee with bipartisan support. Such instances reveal how partisanship remains a potent force in Washington and one that is not serving this country well.
    Yet, despite these setbacks, I remain determined to continue working with both Democrats and Republicans, to craft and enact responsible legislation. Just before leaving Washington in early August, for example, I introduced the Preventative Health Savings Act of 2013 with Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Mike Crapo (R-ID), which aims to more fully account for the cost savings associated with preventive healthcare.
    As Congress moves back into session this September, we face a mountain of challenges. The ongoing crisis in Syria as well as the budget and looming debt ceiling are just two of the many issues demanding immediate attention. But with each challenge comes the opportunity to exceed expectations and show the American people that this body retains the capacity for action. The time has come to cast aside our partisan blinders and work together to solve our nation’s toughest problems, and I intend to keep at it.