Notebook: Making Congressional History

By: Katie Couric
Topics: Katie's Notebook

Video:
Notebook: The New Congress

Hi, everyone.

Noon today marked the beginning of the 110th Congress, led, of course, by the first woman Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi.

This Congress has already made history but the real test will be whether it can make progress.

The majority Democrats promise to pass their agenda in the first 100 hours of the new session --including ethics reform, lower prescription prices, higher minimum wage, reduced college costs, and implementing the 9/11 commission recommendations.

But the road from legislation to law of the land can be bumpy, and senators as well as the White House will determine whether Pelosi's policies succeed.

President Bush, for his part, says he will work with the new Congress unless they pass bills that are "simply political statements."

Let's all agree that we've had enough of political statements from both sides and we need Washington to come together to deliver political action.

That's a page from my notebook.

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by cbelster January 5, 2007 4:05 AM EST: I think you make an excellent point.

House leadership is but one ingredient in the recipe of law. In order to make history (and progress), Ms. Pelosi must navigate a whole labyrinth of committees, procedure, agendas, and political difference which reach far beyond her sphere of influence. And, it only takes a few small errors for one to go from the bell of the ball to the wallflower.

Political action will follow political goodwill. Maybe we should save the celebrations for the end of the year.; Reply to this comment


by ian3211-2009 January 5, 2007 12:25 AM EST: Where was CBS News during this historic event? all other networks and cable carried it live. Especially Katie, my god what is happening? Katie is the first solo female network anchor, look at how much time Katie chooses to give to real, meaningful female accomplishments.; Reply to this comment


by petersemkiw January 4, 2007 11:47 PM EST: Dear Katie,What historic times we live in! It seems to me that women are gradually taking over the world! It's alright with me...More power to you all! I say, if women want to run the show now, let us men just sit back, take it easy, and relax and enjoy it. As long as women don't have problems with the Stay at Home Man type,who likes to sleep in and watch Regis and Kelly Live in the morning, and who then is content to do the dishes,vacuuming,laundry,shopping,and the cleaning,and watch football, and in the warmer months, baseball, all day, and let the women be the breadwinners as well. It sounds good to me. And ,of course, the days' household duties would be topped off by watching the CBS Evening News, with you,and the C-Span coverage of the House of Representatives in the evening, with Nancy. It started with you taking over the CBS Evening News, Katie,and then you and Al maybe somehow rigged the election results with some left over chads on some left over ballots in Florida, got the democrats reelected,and now Nancy Pelosi has taken over the House of Representatives,and we men better brace ourselves...Who knows what's next? England has already had its woman prime minister, Germany currently has a woman chancellor, and we're all guessing whether another woman is just waiting in the wings to go onstage as the next President of the United States! We kiss all your happy bare feet and bow before you and say, like Mike Myers and Dana Carvey..."We're not worthy!"; Reply to this comment


by estellett January 4, 2007 10:37 PM EST: Thank You! Thank You! for mentioning the long path for women in our government and a bit about the history of our right to vote and, unfortunatoy, not enough about the tenaciousness of the patriarchy.

Regardless, thanks for all you do.; Reply to this comment