Politics and views in the United States.

GOP leaders say they're ready for President-elect Trump to return to office. President Biden hosts the Israeli president, amid concerns about blocked Gaza aid, and the labor movement assesses the impact of Trump being back in the White House.

TRANSCRIPT

Welcome to 2024 talks.

We're following our democracy in historic times.

There's a lot of excitement, a lot of energy here.

We're really grateful for President Trump leaving it all on the field to get reelected.

House Speaker Mike Johnson and top House Republicans are back in Washington and say they're eager for President-elect Donald Trump's return.

Johnson said they're continuing to watch some undecided House races but are confident it'll stay under GOP control.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer congratulated Trump on his victory and encouraged Democrats to not look at last week's election results as a defeat but rather a challenge.

We have to look at what we did right, what we did wrong, and what we didn't do but should have done.

Congress is facing a busy lame duck session.

Government funding is set to expire next month.

Republicans will need to decide whether to compromise with Democrats on longer-term spending or force a short-term extension until Trump takes office.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell says another priority is the defense bill.

Every year the NDA gives Congress an indispensable opportunity to set national security priorities.

This year it's a chance to show we appreciate the gravity of an especially dangerous moment.

Former GOP Congressman and staunch Trump critic Adam Kinzinger is praising Trump's pick for Secretary of State.

Kinzinger says Republican Florida Senator Marco Rubio has the knowledge and experience for one of the most important positions in the cabinet.

Compared to some of the other names that were floating around, people that don't have any experience in foreign policy, I think this is a pretty good one.

President Joe Biden met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Washington, while aid groups are again sounding alarms about grim conditions in northern Gaza.

The White House has asked for more aid to get in, and U.S. law requires countries that get American military support allow humanitarian assistance.

But State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel disagrees with those who say Israel is blocking aid.

We at this time have not made an assessment that the Israelis are in violation of U.S. law.

Biden and Trump will meet today at the White House, even though Trump didn't extend the same invitation to Biden in 2020.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre says Biden is following a tradition tied to the peaceful transfer of power.

It is important not just because it's important to him, but it's important to the American people.

He said the American people deserve this.

They deserve a smooth transition.

The labor movement is assessing the moment.

Many union voters supported Trump's promise of high tariffs on imports.

Others point to his previous cuts in job site safety inspectors and his likelihood of blocking a proposed heat safety rule.

Mike Wilde with the Fair Contracting Foundation of Minnesota says they'll be watching enforcement, which doesn't have to be a partisan issue.

We can have all the laws we want on the books, but unless they're enforced and meaningful, they don't do anybody any good.

I'm Alex Gonzalez for Pacifica Network and Public News Service.

Find our trust indicators at publicnewsservice.org.

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