One senior senator voiced confidence that a resolution will not be achieved as legislators on Capitol Hill consider the likelihood of a government shutdown next month.
“I believe there is a good chance of a government shutdown.” “And I believe Joe Biden and Chuck Schumer want a government shutdown,” Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said Thursday on “Varney & Co.” “I think they believe it would benefit them politically.”
The Senate returned from its summer break a full week before the House. Senior legislative correspondent Chad Pergram, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY, the Senate cleared 12 spending measures in committee before the recess.
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In the next weeks, the Senate will consider a few specific appropriations proposals. And House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., will attempt to pass a fig leaf, interim budget bill that appeases the right. The House Freedom Caucus and other conservative members will press for provisions that either cut spending, handle the border, or deal with the possibility of impeachment.
However, if the House does not pass the continuing resolution, as Cruz believes will happen, the government will shut down. The senator argued the Democrats would blame the Republicans.
“Federal government funding expires on September 30th.” “And I think Joe Biden and Chuck Schumer will just say, ‘To hell with you, congressional Republicans,'” Cruz told host Stuart Varney.
The current Republican-Democrat split in the House is 222 to 212, with one vacancy. In other words, Republicans may lose four votes and still pass a bill without Democratic support.
Cruz underlined the need of dialogue and reaching a consensus, as the legislative body is designed to do.
“I don’t think Biden and Schumer want that because they want a shutdown,” the senator stated. “I believe that’s where we’re going.”
During Wednesday’s press conference, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated that Biden’s “message in private is the same as it is in public.”
“There is no justification… for a government shutdown.” It is critical that Congress maintain their pledge to the American people and perform their job. That’s all there is to it. That has been made very apparent… Congress has a task to complete. “They must keep the government open,” she stated.
The offices of Senator Schumer and the Council of Economic Advisers did not immediately react.
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Source: Fox Business
