Biden meets with top U.S. lawmakers on lame-duck session

WASHINGTON, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Joe Biden met with top congressional lawmakers on Tuesday to discuss the agenda in the lame-duck session on Capitol Hill.

The White House meeting included Biden, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Their talks came amid the threat of a national freight strike as a labor deal has divided members at two of the country's biggest rail unions.

The politicians "discussed how Congress can act to prevent a rail shutdown, which would have devastating consequences for workers, families, and our economy," according to a White House readout.

Without freight rail, many U.S. industries would shut down, Biden said in a statement issued on Monday.

"As many as 765,000 Americans -- many union workers themselves -- could be put out of work in the first two weeks alone," the statement read. "Communities could lose access to chemicals necessary to ensure clean drinking water. Farms and ranches across the country could be unable to feed their livestock."

Pelosi said later that the House of Representatives would take up legislation this week to adopt a tentative agreement between railroad workers and operators.

On Tuesday, Biden and the U.S. congressional leaders also discussed how to keep the government funded, resources to fight COVID-19, and aid to Ukraine, the White House said.

McCarthy, who's seeking to be elected as speaker of the House next term, told reporters on Tuesday that Republicans will prioritize border security and spending cut, among other things.

Republicans flipped the House in this year's midterm elections while Democrats held onto their Senate majority for the next Congress, which will convene for the first time on Jan. 3, 2023.