House Speaker John Boehner has sent a clear signal that a government shutdown my be imminent if the Senate and White House do not acquiesce to the House GOP plan to dramatically slash 2011 spending levels.
Boehner told reporters on Thursday that if Republicans and Democrats cannot agree on a plan to fund the government for the remaining seven months of the fiscal year, he will not agree to a plan for another short-term “Continuing Resolution” measure that would keep the government operating while negotiations continued, unless it also includes cuts.
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With a 24-seat House majority, Republicans have the power to reject, or not even consider a measure to keep the government operating on a temporary basis, so Boehner’s threat is particularly potent.
“I’m not going to move any kind of short term CR at current levels,” Boehner said. “Read my lips. When I say we are going to cut spending, we are going to cut spending.”
The Republicans and Democrats have been stepping up the threats over budget cuts, with the Obama administration earlier this week indicating that the president will veto the funding bill House Republicans are poised to pass this evening.
That measure would cut fiscal 2011 spending by at least $60 billion, a $100 billion reduction from the spending request made by Obama.
