GOP freshmen call on Senate to pass CR

House GOP freshmen declined on Monday to support a compromise government
funding measure containing $33 billion in spending cuts and called
upon Senate Democrats to pass a 2011 funding bill that would reignite
negotiations.

With less than five days remaining before the continuing resolution that is currently funding government operations expires — and the federal government is face to face with a shutdown — nine House Republican freshman and a senior GOP lawmaker, Rep. Bob Goodlatte (Va.), called on the Democrat-controlled Senate to pass a long-term CR.

{mosads}The late afternoon “protest” was the fourth of its kind since GOP freshmen began ratcheting up the heat on the Senate to pass a bill.

Not one lawmaker raised his or her hand when asked about would support a compromise to cut $33 billion in spending from current levels.

Rep. Sandy Adams (R-Fla.) decried reports indicating that House, Senate and White House negotiators had hammered out a CR deal for $33 billion in spending cuts.

“We keep hearing $33 billion compromise – where’s the bill? That’s the question I have for you that have been carrying it across the nation, where’s the bill, where’s the language?

“We have a bill,” Adams said, noting that the House approved their bill to fund the government 44
days ago.

The House bill, which the Senate rejected, calls for $61 billion in cuts from current spending levels.

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) also refuted reports of a $33 billion compromise measure earlier Monday.

“Despite attempts by Democrats to lock in a number among themselves, I’ve made clear that their $33 billion is not enough and many of the cuts that the White House and Senate Democrats are talking about are full of smoke and mirrors.  That’s unacceptable,” Boehner said.

Boehner’s theme was echoed in similar statements by House GOP leaders — Majority Leader Eric Cantor (Va.), Whip Kevin McCarthy (Calif.) and Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers (Ky.)

Freshman Tim Griffin (R-Ark) accused Senate Democrats of disingenuousness.

“A lot of what you’re seeing from Senator Reid is a charade,” Griffin said. “I believe that there are a lot of folks, including Senator Reid that would like to shut the government down. I think their plan is to shut the government down.”

The full House GOP conference is set to meet on Monday night to discuss the state of negotiations.

The conference meeting was scheduled before President Obama invited Boehner and Rogers to the White House Tuesday for an eleventh-hour meeting of the principal negotiators.