Now that the proverbial dust has settled after the November elections, the political focus has shifted to the changes before the nation now that the Democratic Party has won a majority in both houses of Congress.

In this feature, Missouri Congressman Emanuel Cleaver discusses a variety of the issues he will face during the 2007 Congressional session.

Mr. Cleaver, a Democrat, represents the people of Missouri’s Fifth District. In November, he was elected to his second term in Congress. Prior to his election to the House of Representatives in 2004, Rep. Cleaver was the Mayor of Kansas City. To learn more about Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, visit http://www.house.gov/cleaver/

Rep. Cleaver: "I have a feeling that when I return to Washington D.C. the ranks of the Civility Caucus I Co-Chair with my friend Congresswoman Shelly Moore Capito (R-WV-02) will grow significantly. Plans are already underway for the next "Debate with Decorum." My pledge is to hold the new Democratic majority to an even higher standard than the Republican majority.

"If we learned nothing from being in the minority about the need to work together then shame on us. Americans did not give Democrats the majority in both chambers so we can exact revenge and retribution. The people expect us to govern with compassion, civility and courage, and that is exactly what I will insist we do."

Rep. Cleaver: "I truly hope that one of the most profound and immediately impactful changes will be that my friend and colleague Congressman Ike Skelton, will become Chairman of the Armed Services Committee. There is absolutely no one on the planet I trust more to find a safe and sane way out of the War in Iraq than Congressman Skelton. He has served Missouri for more than 30 years with honor and dignity, and has earned the respect and admiration of soldiers and generals alike. No one cares about the well being and success of our armed services more than Congressman Skelton. He has been a great friend and mentor for years, and he will make a huge difference."

Rep. Cleaver: "While I understand Mr. Rangel's point, I do not believe we should bring back the draft."

Rep. Cleaver: "I believe that we need to talk to Iran directly in order to halt their nuclear ambitions. The world should be at a place, now in the 21st century, that there are fewer nuclear weapons not more, less need for them not greater."

Rep. Cleaver: "Earlier this year, I sent out a survey to 71,879 seniors in the District to ask them what they thought about the Medicare Part –D Prescription Drug Plan. An amazing number, over 1,591 to be exact, bought their own stamp and returned the survey.

"I know that everyone is tired of polls, but these results illustrate who this bill was written for — not seniors, but the big pharmaceuticals companies. The drug companies spent millions passing it and will reap billions in profits because of their efforts.

"Because of the great response rate, the margin of error for these results is +/- 2.4%. Here is what the seniors of Missouri’s Fifth District said:

"43% had already enrolled in Medicare Part-D

"50% had not enrolled yet.

"Of those who had enrolled:

"Only 17% thought it was easy to enroll.

"31% thought it was confusing but manageable.

"48% thought the enrollment process was frustrating and difficult.

"Of everyone who responded:

"Only 12% thought the Plan was helpful to seniors.

"50% thought that the Plan was confusing and poorly designed.

"A staggering 48% thought that Congress should just start over with a new plan.

"I will immediately move in January to allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices and, if they are cheaper, import drugs from Canada. The fact that these measures were outlawed reflects one of many huge flaws in this plan. As far as I am concerned the whole plan needs to be redrawn so it helps who it is intended to help rather than gouging our seniors."

Rep. Cleaver: "The reaction to the effort has been positive. If you listen to the new Democratic leaders I believe that they are trying very hard to strike a civil tone as they take the reins of power. I sincerely believe that remaining civil and working with those on the other side of the isle will be key to governing well. We have an opportunity to as Lincoln said, ‘listen to our better angels’. I will insist that civility is not just a matter of rhetoric but a matter of principle.

"The new Majority Leader, my friend Steny Hoyer of Maryland has pledged our new majority to civility. Here is what he said in the first radio address after the election:

"’Today, as Democrats prepare to lead majorities in the House and Senate, we humbly offer three pledges to you:

"’First, we will – and we must – change the way things are done in Washington.

"’We will restore civility and integrity to our legislative process, and transparency and accountability to our government. We will reach across the aisle and seek bipartisan consensus whenever possible. And, we will pass legislation that ensures ethics and lobbying reform.’"

"I think that is a very good sign that our efforts are paying off.

Rep. Cleaver: "I believe it is long past time that the United States Congress fulfills its constitutional obligation to conduct meaningful, responsible oversight. Here in the home of Harry Truman, we know a thing or two about the value of oversight. The ‘Truman Commission’ saved billions investigating waste and abuse during World War II. Careless and callous profiteering is not patriotic.

"I will work to enact the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission and make our nation safer, raise the federal minimum wage, make prescription drugs more affordable, move our nation toward energy independence, cut college costs and restore fiscal responsibility and look for every opportunity to enact my CLEAR Act to require all Member vehicles leased with taxpayer money to run on alternative fuels.

"I hope to change the way things are done in Washington D.C. by restoring civility, honesty and integrity. I know we can stay true to our core values while reaching out to the President and Congressional Republicans to work together to meet our country's challenges. I am looking forward to a new day, and a new direction."