Congressional leaders clear the way for a bipartisan bill to avert a railroad strike

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden hosted a uncommon gathering of the 4 House and Senate leaders Tuesday astatine the White House, wherever Republicans and Democrats agreed to walk a measure to avert a nationwide obstruction workers' onslaught earlier the U.S. system could commencement to consciousness its effects arsenic soon arsenic this weekend.

The gathering with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, some of California, was a last-minute summation to Biden's nationalist schedule. It besides marked the archetypal clip the radical known arsenic "the Big Four" has met with Biden since Republicans narrowly won power of the House earlier this month, and Democrats held connected to the Senate contempt beardown governmental headwinds.

The gathering Tuesday was not partisan oregon contentious adjacent arsenic the powerfulness dynamics successful Washington are acceptable to change, according to attendees.

"It was a precise affirmative meeting, and it was candid," Pelosi told reporters astatine the Capitol aft the meeting. "But from a timing standpoint, close present what we request to bash is debar the strike."

McConnell struck a akin note: "We had a truly bully meeting, and laid retired the challenges that we're each collectively facing here."

A rail onslaught could formally begin connected Dec. 9 if nary statement is reached betwixt unions and obstruction companies. But the effects of it could beryllium felt earlier then. Freight obstruction companies are required to alert customers astir a imaginable onslaught a week up of time, to springiness them clip to marque contingency plans.

Congress tin intervene utilizing its powerfulness done the Constitution's Commerce Clause to walk authorities ending a onslaught oregon a lockout, and to acceptable presumption of the agreements betwixt the unions and the carriers. In this case, Congress appears poised to enact a tentative labour statement that was approved successful September by immoderate — but not each — of the sector's large labour unions.

Pelosi said she planned to bring a measure to the House level Wednesday morning.

"It's not everything I would similar to see. I deliberation that we should person paid sick leave," she said.

"And I don't similar going against the quality of unions to strike. But weighing the equities, we indispensable debar a strike," Pelosi added.

Both Pelosi and McCarthy said Tuesday that they believed the obstruction onslaught measure had the votes it needed to walk the House.

But successful the Senate, wherever it lone takes 1 objecting legislator to clasp up a bill, the exigency obstruction onslaught authorities could look caller hurdles.

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., has already announced helium volition reason the bill.

 "Just due to the fact that Congress has the authorization to enforce a heavy-handed solution does not mean we should," Rubio said successful a connection Tuesday.

An improbable state for Rubio connected different broadside of the governmental spectrum whitethorn beryllium Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent, who criticized the statement erstwhile it was archetypal reached successful September. On Tuesday, helium refused to accidental whether helium would enactment the bill.

"Workers each implicit this state who enactment for the railroads, radical who are moving astatine unsafe jobs successful inclement weather, person zero paid sick leave. That is outrageous," Sanders told reporters successful the Capitol connected Tuesday.

"I deliberation it's incumbent upon Congress to bash everything that it tin to support these workers to marque definite that the railroad starts treating them with the respect and the dignity that they deserve," helium added.

Either Rubio oregon Sanders, oregon immoderate different senator, could determine to equine a filibuster of the bill, perchance holding it up for days nether Senate rules.

McConnell declined to speculate Tuesday connected however galore Republicans would backmost the bill.

"You'll person to inquire our members," helium told reporters. "I deliberation immoderate whitethorn beryllium inclined to ballot against it, and others are arguing that the economical terms of doing that is excessively great."

The House is expected to walk a mentation of the measure Wednesday morning. After that, the timeline becomes much hard to predict, fixed the flexibility afforded senators nether the chamber's statement and filibuster rules.