Could House Republicans and Senate Democrats be at a stalemate on the federal budget? With Senate majority leader Harry Reid’s announcement today that Senate Democrats would introduce a “short-term” continuing resolution to fund the federal government for the next 30 days, it looks possible. From Reid’s statement:
It is time to drop the threats and ultimatums, and work together on a path forward. I am asking Speaker Boehner to simply take the threat of a government shutdown off the table, and work with us to negotiate a responsible, long-term solution.
On Saturday, the House passed a continuing resolution that would cut spending while funding the federal government until October, though it is clear from Reid’s announcement today that the bill won’t reach the floor for a vote. House majority leader Eric Cantor called Reid’s alternate CR a “threat” to force a government shutdown, which Cantor said is “not an acceptable outcome.” From Cantor’s statement:
An aide to a senior Republican said the House GOP is working on putting together a new CR plan, expected later this week. The new CR would attempt to be more amenable to the Senate’s moderate Democrats (including those who are up for reelection in 2012), the aide said.
Missouri senator Claire McCaskill could be one of those Democrats. Earlier this month she joined Tennessee Republican Bob Corker in supporting a bill that would cut spending, including addressing social security reforms. (Fred Barnes wrote about Corker’s plan in THE WEEKLY STANDARD last month.) And on Fox News Sunday this week, McCaskill emphasized that she wants budget cuts.
“We can find a compromise,” McCaskill told Chris Wallace. “We can make serious and significant cuts in this government with some wasteful programs without going out at the heart of education funding, without cutting border security. We can do that.”
