Mikulski: ‘Disease’ of hypocrisy rampant among ‘tribal morass’ of House GOP

Mikulski may have been referring to comments made by Rep. Austin Scott (R-Ga.), the president of the GOP freshman class, who said the Senate was blocking progress on a fiscal year 2011 spending deal. Scott said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) needs to “put on his big-boy britches” and “get to work and pass a bill.”

Other House Republicans have also piled on Reid, calling his record on spending cuts a “failure.” The GOP freshman class Tuesday called on him to pass a long-term spending bill or resign as Senate leader.

“Now I am not going to do any name-calling,” said Mikulski. “I am going to do fact-describing.”

Mikulski said the House should pass a bill that would prevent members of Congress from receiving their salaries in the case of a government shutdown.

“The fact that we couldn’t stop a shutdown shows we are not essential, and it shows that we ought not to get paid,” said Mikulski.