Schock, Gabbard Talk Congressional Future Caucus

In an effort to bring members of Congress younger than 40 together on important issues, Republican Rep. Aaron Schock and Democratic Rep.Tulsi Gabbard are pushing the Congressional Future Caucus, formed by the pair to try to address issues that young voters and members care about.

They appeared together in a joint interview that aired Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

“Right now, our leadership on both sides of the aisle in both chambers are a bit challenged at being leaders because they’re so concerned about their ideological bases,” said Schock, of Illinois. “Both Democrat and Republican leaders right now are worried about being right-flanked and left-flanked out by the respective bases, so they’re afraid to be what their title says, a leader.”

Gabbard, of Hawaii, said the Future Caucus acknowledges there will always be differences. “The politics are always going to be there; that’s a fact,” she said.

Schock said the passage of the budget deal this month was evidence that bipartisan negotiations outside of leadership are most successful. If House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) had negotiated the same deal, Schock said, it would not have passed.

“Had there not already been a coalition … it never would have passed,” he said.

Schock, Gabbard talk Congressional Future Caucus

In an effort to bring members of Congress younger than 40 together on important issues, Republican Rep. Aaron Schock and Democratic Rep.Tulsi Gabbard are pushing the Congressional Future Caucus, formed by the pair to try to address issues that young voters and members care about.