House, Senate Leadership Play Tug-Of-War Over Long-Term CR

The two week extension to the continuing resolution that includes $4 billion in spending cuts sailed through the Senate in a 91-9 vote Wednesday, but House and Senate leadership remain at odds as to what path to take next.

Just moments after the vote, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) told reporters that the government cannot continue to run on a series of short-term extensions. 

“Republicans should immediately come to the table and start negotiating with us on a long term solution,” Reid said. “Republicans said… they wanted to do this in two weeks, so that’s the time schedule they’ve set, so they have responsibility to work with us and find agreement within that very short time period.”

President Obama issued a statement applauding Congress for giving the government more time. In his statement, the president called on Republican and Democratic leadership to immediately begin negotiations with Vice President Biden, White House Chief of Staff Bill Daley and OMB Director Jack Lew.

When prompted about the potential bipartisan meetings with the vice president, House Speaker John Boehner tip-toed around his party’s comitment to attending, saying the extension now provided Senate Democrats with the time to develop their own plan to move forward.

“The House’s position is, we passed a bill,” the Speaker said. “Where’s the Senate Democrat position? How do you start a conversation where one House has spoken and the other House hasn’t, where’s the starting point?”

The extension to the continuing resolution is set to expire on March 18, when the government will yet again face the possibility of a shutdown. The House Speaker reassured reporters that a shutdown is not what Republicans or Democrats want.

“There’s no threat of a government shutdown,” Boehner said. “I read about it and I chuckle… We’ve got two weeks, let’s get the job done.”