Reid: Democrats will introduce bills on guns, immigration after Sandy recovery bill

By Ramsey Cox - 01/22/13 11:24 AM ET

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Tuesday that Democrats would introduce the first 10 bills in the 113th Congress.

Reid did not list all of the bills that would be introduced, but said some of them will be bills that the Senate passed during the 112th Congress that were left to “languish” in the House.

Reid said that undertaking immigration reforms, addressing gun violence, strengthening schools and helping jobless veterans would be among the issues that will be Democrats' "North Star as we work to end wasteful tax loopholes and balance thoughtful spending reductions with revenue from the wealthiest among us."

"We will remain resolute – resolute in the pursuit of fairness for all Americans, regardless of where they were born or the color of their skin, regardless of the size of their bank accounts, regardless of their religion or their sexual orientation," Reid said on the Senate floor Tuesday. "Those principles will direct our course as we introduce our first ten bills today – a tradition in the United States Senate – and as we mend our broken immigration system, strengthen our schools and rebuild our roads and bridges. Those principles will be foremost in our minds as we balance the right to bear arms with the right of every child to grow up safe from gun violence."

He also said he would reintroduce the bipartisan-passed Violence Against Women Act, the farm bill, postal service reform and Hurricane Sandy recovery, which the House did not take up during the last Congress.

Reid said the first bill the Senate will take up is the House-passed Hurricane Sandy supplemental bill, H.R. 152, which would provide more than $50 billion in mitigation to Northeastern states hit by Hurricane Sandy last October.

Reid said after the Hurricane Sandy bill, the Senate would consider rule changes that are being negotiated by himself and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). The leaders are expected to talk with their caucuses during lunches this afternoon.