Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) spoke with reporters about the results of Tuesday's election which saw Democrats picking up new seats and increase the number of Democratic women in the Senate.
Leader Reid said that the election showed that the Democrats were "the party of diversity" and that he looked forward to working with the new women in the Senate.
He added that the American people "are tired of partisan gridlock. They want us to work together." However, he declared that Senate Democrats "won't be pushed around" and he announced that he would attempt to change the Senate's filibuster rules.
When asked by reporters if he thought the lame duck Congress could solve the fiscal cliff facing the country at the beginning of the new year, Leader Reid said he wanted to take action before the end of the session and that Republicans would have to make a choice regarding compromise with Democrats over tax increases for the wealthy.
The majority leader also told reporters that he expected discussion on the debt ceiling increase to take place after the first of the year.