Rick Scott expecting deal to avoid government shutdown

Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) said he expects Congress to avoid a government shutdown at the end of the month, as the House GOP feuds over budget cuts.

“I’ve been working with the Freedom Caucus in the House. They’re absolutely committed to not having this government shutdown,” Scott said in an MSNBC interview Wednesday.

The Freedom Caucus — a group of right-wing Republicans who have so far been opposed to funding plans proposed by Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) — is constructing a budget proposal that cuts “wasteful spending” and other Republican priorities, Scott said.

McCarthy has run into trouble passing rules votes for funding bills, including on a defense measure Tuesday. A rules vote on McCarthy’s budget proposal was also pulled amid right-wing opposition.

Scott noted he is working with other senators on a bill that would prevent government shutdown altogether by automatically implementing continuing resolutions when budgets run out.

“We should stop the idea of these government shutdowns. We should never see government shutdowns again,” he said.

The funding package proposed by McCarthy was expected to fail in the Democratic-led Senate if it passed. Many lawmakers see a shutdown as likely due to the impasse between Democrats and right-wing Republicans.