Daschle calls for 'cooperation, not conflict'

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle urged Democrats and Republicans Saturday to move forward with a compromise economic stimulus package.

"We shouldn't make America's businesses and families wait one more day for help they could have today," the South Dakota Democrat said in his party's weekly radio address.

Daschle urged immediate passage of a bill that would add 13 additional weeks of unemployment benefits, tax rebates for those who didn't get one last year, incentives for business investment and financial aid to states to help them avoid cutting services or raising taxes.

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As President Bush prepared to deliver his State of the Union address to Congress on Tuesday, Daschle outlined other areas of concern and called for "cooperation, not conflict" to solve differences.

"In areas where we agree," Daschle said of Bush, "the president will have no stronger ally. In areas where we disagree, we will work with a renewed commitment to compromise."

Daschle said his agenda also included creation of an energy plan "that is good for consumers, the environment, and helps us reach our goal of energy independence" and election reform.

And in the wake of the Enron collapse, the senator said Congress has a duty to learn how the collapse took place "and then work to prevent it from ever happening again." In addition, Social Security and Medicare need "protecting, not privatizing," he said.