The head of the moderate New Democrat Coalition tells The Hill that he has not yet received a phone call from President Trump.
{mosads}The president “has not called. There I am, waiting by the phone, but he has not called,” Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.) jokingly told The Hill’s Molly K. Hooper.
Trump this week has spoken more about working with Democrats after the GOP failed to pass its healthcare reform bill last week.
“Despite pressure from elements of our party, we remain committed to working with Republicans and this president on things that will benefit all Americans and that are consistent with our values,” Himes said. “We would even engage on healthcare.”
Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.), who represents a district that Trump won in 2016, said she, too, has yet to hear from the Republican president.
Bustos points to prescription drugs as a potential area of potential compromise.
“Let’s bring down cost of prescription drugs. Trump has said that. He’s at least said it; moderate Republicans have said that; Democrats have said that, so we can work together on that,” Bustos said.
On the other side, Rep. Pete King (R-N.Y.) suggested the president and Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) “reach out to work with Democrats” on issues such as infrastructure and tax reform.