The 111th US Congress convenes on Tuesday.
When the US Congress convenes on Tuesday, most legislators from Texas say the economy will earn the most attention. They say lawmakers must reach a compromise on a stimulus package but disagree on how quickly Congress should get a proposal to the desk of the president-elect.
"We have to have something very quickly done," says Gene Green (D-Houston). "Our forefathers didn't design the legislative process to be known for speed."
Republicans worry that Congress will pass a bill without understanding the long term effects the measure could have.
"We need to take the time to make sure we get it right," says incoming republican Pete Olson. "That's one of my bigger problems with the stimulus packages that were passed last year. They were rushed to get through, and I don't think we took the time to understand the problems of why they occurred and what we can do in the future to prevent them."
Olson's district also includes the Johnson Space Center. He says his constituents also worry about funding for NASA.
"It goes to much bigger problems than personalities not getting along," he adds. "We've got a gap planned in our manned spaceflight capability."
Other lawmakers in the Houston area say Congress should focus on transportation. They believe rebuilding transportation networks can also benefit the economy.
"I'll be focused on working to open up Highway 290 in the same way that I got Interstate 10 expanded," says John Culberson (R-Houston. "I-10 was a tremendous job creator."
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