(Host) Senate President Pro Tempore Peter Welch says he’s optimistic that legislative leaders will be able to work together this session to find compromise solutions to some of the critical issues facing the state.
Speaking Thursday night on VPR’s Switchboard program, Welch said there are several good reasons why he thinks a cooperative approach will succeed at the Statehouse this winter:
(Welch) “Number one, just as a matter of practical political survival on both sides. You have to cooperate to get anything done. We have a Republican governor, we have a Democratic Senate, a Republican House – nothing can get accomplished by either side unless there’s a willingness to cooperate. Number two, we’re in a year where some of the major ideological battles that really divided us and made it impossible to settle down and get concrete about things like civil unions. And even if we would have Act 60 in response to the Brigham decision, those battles are behind us.”
(Host) Welch says he’ll encourage lawmakers to try to reach a consensus on a number of key issues in the next few months. He says this will allow the Legislature to pass some meaningful bills this winter while postponing debate on more contentious issues until next year.