Although the House may seem like a “political dumpster fire” and Speaker Mike Johnson’s proposed two-tiered laddered continuing resolution may come off as “gimmicky,” Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) is willing to consider it if it helps prevent a government shutdown.
“I don’t like this laddered CR approach. It looks gimmicky to me, but I’m open to what the House is talking about,” Murphy stated during an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday.
He emphasized the importance of keeping the government open and urged reasonable people in the Senate to avoid letting perfect be the enemy of good. “The priority has to be keeping the government open, and I think this is a moment where reasonable people in the Senate, and that’s where most of the reasonable people are these days, have to make sure that we are not making the perfect the enemy of the good,” he told host Kristen Welker.
The proposed spending bill, which extends current government funding, faces skepticism from both Republicans and Democrats. Republicans are disappointed by the lack of steep cuts they hoped for, while Democrats are concerned about a potential 1 percent cut that could take effect early next year due to a debt deal reached over the summer, leading to a continuance of the ongoing spending battle.
Johnson stated he plans to bring the plan up for a floor vote on Tuesday, and in order to pass the unusual proposal, he will need buy-in from House Democrats, a position similar to that of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who was ousted after moving a spending bill with more votes from Democrats than from his own party.
However, McCarthy expressed hope for his successor during an interview that aired on CNN, alluding to House Republicans’ repeated struggles to elect a leader.
Meanwhile, attracting Democratic support will be a challenge. House Democrat Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.) expressed disinterest in the proposal on MSNBC’s “The Sunday Show.” Senate Democrats, on the other hand, have left room to potentially support the GOP bill, and Murphy continued to express willingness to listen despite his dislike for the House’s proposal.
However, Murphy remained skeptical, stating, “I don’t think anybody can predict what happens in the House of Representatives today. That place is a political dumpster fire right now.”
