Republicans Blast Biden's Trip, Prep Another Two-Week Extension

Amid ongoing budgetary negotiations, House Republicans blasted the administration’s leadership, specifically the absence of Vice President Joe Biden who was chosen to lead discussions between Congressional Republicans and Democrats. 

“The vice president is not even in the country today and we have less than a week and a half to go,” House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) told reporters of Biden’s recent trip to Russia. “We’re not going to negotiate with ourselves.”

The House’s top Republican Eric Cantor (R-Va.) called on the president and Senate Democrats to match Republican leadership and reveal their own budget proposal.

“Now what we’re saying is ‘Come on, let’s see some leadership,’” Cantor said. “We have put out there for the American people what it is we believe in, we have not seen the same from the Democrats.”

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has scheduled two votes for the upper chamber to take on Wednesday. Senators will vote on the House’s budget and a Democratic version, whose most significant difference can be seen in the amount of funding being cut, $57 billion and $4.7 billion respectively. 

Because both bills are polar opposites of each other, it is not likely that either one will garner the necessary votes to pass through the upper chamber. Additionally, should both bills die in the Senate and yet another potential shutdown lingering, both parties may be forced into more qualitative negotiations or prepare for another extension or a shutdown.

“The vice president’s out of the country and [the White House] won’t even tell you who the lead negotiator is,” McCarthy said. “Unfortunately, we’ll have to prepare for another two week [extension] but that’s not where we want to go.”