One day after interviewing President Obama, Kristen Remington interviewed Nevada Sen. Dean Heller about Congress.
Rounding out his first term as an appointed U.S. Senator -- to fill John Ensign's seat -- Dean Heller is getting ready to campaign for another term.
But according to President Obama, Congress has a lot of work left to do.
"What is your administration doing to ensure all responsible homeowners have access to these rates?" Kristen asks.
"We have a specific proposal and all that needs to happen is Congress needs to pass it," says President Obama.
Senator Heller says while he admits Congress has room for improvement, "I think the president believes that he needs to try this Harry Truman process by trying to blame Congress for all the ills going on in the country today."
He also says the president can't blame Congress for failed passage of legislation for his entire term. "He controlled Congress. He had both the house and the senate for the first two years of his term. That's the problem today... that he did have control of both houses. He had a super majority in both houses and look what we received."
In his partial term as senator, Heller says he has worked to create jobs in Nevada and he's also committed to mandating that the senate has a budget which hasn't happened in three years. He says if lawmakers don't act - they shouldn't be paid.
With housing - he's working to make the short sale process should become - well, shorter. And he says he wants banks to lease foreclosed homes back to families."Which would allow families to stay in homes and it would keep kids in their schools and the neighborhoods from becoming vacant."
But in this campaign season, his likely opponent says it comes too late.
Kristen says, "Your presumptive challenger come November is Congresswoman Shelley Berkley. Back to housing, she told Las Vegas reporters that, quote, 'It's nice in an election year that Mr. Heller has finally started to step up.' Of course, in regards to your housing legislation. How do you respond to that?"
Heller replies, "As I shared to you, multiple pieces of legislation in a bipartisan fashion, in order for this to happen. Again, if we're about pointing fingers and playing the blame game, let's just solve problems. She's not interested in solving problems, solving the economy, jobs. She's interested in things that I don't think pertain to Nevada."
I should mention, I also tried to get an interview with Democrat and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid today, but his office couldn't fit me in. As for our house representatives - they're all on recess this week.
Written by Kristen Remington
