Senate Republicans, newly ensconced in the majority following a sweeping victory in the recent election, struck a conciliatory tone Tuesday while announcing their committee chairs.
"What we really want to focus on out of the blocks are the things we all agree are important," said Sen. Paul Gazelka, the newly elected Republican majority leader from Nisswa.
That means tax cuts, road and bridge spending and a special emphasis on health care, Gazelka said at a news conference.
"That's where our focus is going to be. Beyond that … if one of us disagrees, then that's something we cannot do," he said, referring to contentious social issues like abortion or guns.
Senate Republicans, who have controlled the upper chamber just two of the past 44 years, hold a 34-33 majority, effectively giving every GOP member a veto. Veteran Republicans also remember their 2011-12 majority and their aggressive, conservative agenda, after which they were swept from office in a landslide.
Gazelka said the new committee structure illustrates the health care focus: Three committees will deal with health and human services.
Gazelka said he has talked to two GOP U.S. Senators recently who told him to be ready to deal with the ramifications of repeal of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. President-elect Donald Trump has made the Obamacare repeal a signature initiative of his campaign, leaving a lot of uncertainty for states like Minnesota, which was an aggressive and early adopter of the health insurance overhaul.
DFL Gov. Mark Dayton and legislative leaders are in talks to give relief to the 5 percent of Minnesotans who buy their health insurance on the individual market and are seeing premiums skyrocket 50 percent or more even as they confront restricted access to their doctors and hospitals.
