With Tuesday's congressional elections behind him, U.S. President Barack Obama is looking to reach common ground with Republican lawmakers who are poised to take full control of Congress next year.
Mr. Obama has invited congressional leaders to the White House for a Friday meeting to discuss legislative priorities. The president's Democratic Party suffered humiliating losses in Tuesday's elections, as Republicans won enough seats to win control of the Senate and tighten their grip on the House.
The president told reporters Wednesday he is certain there are some issues the fractious American political parties can agree on.
Meanwhile, the presumptive Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, said he will work with Mr. Obama to win approval on international trade pacts and tax reform, and said they agreed in a telephone call to look for issues where they could reach agreement.
McConnell said one message of the election is that a politically divided government need not result in continued gridlock in Washington.
Mr. Obama said at a news conference that he is looking for broad agreement with Congress, but acknowledged the Republican Congress is likely to approve some legislation he cannot sign. McConnell agreed that the president might veto some Republican legislation.
One point of contention could emerge before the end of the year. Mr. Obama repeated his promise to unilaterally change the country's immigration policies, a move that could allow millions of migrants who entered the country illegally to stay in the United States. McConnell said he hopes the president will not take such action.
But Mr. Obama said he will act because the Republican-controlled House of Representatives has balked at acting on a comprehensive immigration measure approved by the Senate.