Congress reconvenes today with Democrats in control of both chambers for the first time in 12 years. On Wednesday, President Bush welcomed incoming lawmakers after meeting Cabinet members at the White House.

President Bush: “I welcome their arrival into town. I’m looking forward to working with them, and so are members of my Cabinet. We’ve all been entrusted with public office at a momentous time in our nation’s history, and together we have important things to do. It’s time to set aside politics and focus on the future.”

Democratic leaders say they’ll prioritize congressional ethics reform and raising the minimum wage.

Democratic Majority Leader Steny Hoyer: “We’re going to bring the minimum wage up so that people in the richest nation on the face of the Earth aren’t working 40 hours and living in poverty. We’re going to make sure that families can afford college expenses and that their young people can afford college expenses so we can remain competitive.”