Mitch Perry
In Washington on Tuesday, Senate Republicans introduced a short-term spending bill that would essential fund the government through Dec. 11 and avert a shutdown.
The measure would defund Planned Parenthood and increase defense spending by about $13 billion. It’s expected to fall short when it comes up for a vote Thursday. The next likely scenario is that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will introduce a second spending bill funding the government at current spending levels through the same date, what’s being called a “clean continuing resolution.” It would then move over to the House early next week, just days before the Sept. 30 deadline to keep the government running.
When asked whether she thought there’s a possibility that congressional Republicans could repeat 2013 and shut down the government, Tampa Bay area U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor said simply, “I hope not.”
“But the Republican conference is very divided,” she told reporters Tuesday at a press availability. “There’s a conservative group that wants to depose Speaker John Boehner, and they thrive on this chaotic atmosphere, but I hope cooler heads will prevail.”
CNN reports that Boehner “faces a revolt” from approximately two dozen House conservatives who want to oust the Ohio Speaker because he hasn’t taken a more confrontational stance with President Barack Obama.
Castor said Republicans should have learned their lesson from to years ago when they shut down the government for 17 days because of their unhappiness with the Affordable Care Act.
“This is not a way to run a country,” she said. “If they do shut down the government, it will be a fundamental failure of their most basic responsibility.”
Castor also discussed her excitement at the prospect of seeing Pope Francis address a joint session of Congress on Thursday morning, the first pope to do so.
“Pope Francis has generated such good will and interest because he’s the first Jesuit pope, and he’s made a point of highlighting issues that we’re not highlighted in the past regarding poverty and income inequality, climate change and immigration, and these are the issues that are at the fore of public policy in Washington right now, so everybody is anticipating his remarks with great excitement.”
