Republicans claim mandate to roll back Obama agenda

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Exuberant Republicans on Wednesday vowed to slash the size of the U.S. government and challenge President Barack Obama's agenda after voters swept them back into power in the House of Representatives.

At a news conference one day after they won control of the House and gained seats in the Senate, Republican congressional leaders said voters, rattled by high unemployment, had given them a mandate roll back much of what Obama's Democrats have accomplished over the past two years.