09/01/2023

Senator Majority Leader Warns Against 'Brinkmanship' on Spending

Chuck Schumer says now is not the time for economic games

Top U.S. Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer on Friday said House Republicans would be to blame if lawmakers are unable to reach a deal to keep the government funded past Sept. 30, triggering the fourth partial shutdown of federal agencies in a decade.

"We cannot afford the brinkmanship or hostage-taking we saw from House Republicans earlier this year when they pushed our country to the brink of default to appease the most extreme members of their party," Schumer said in an open letter to colleagues on Friday.

The Senate returns to Washington on Tuesday with the House of Representatives coming a week later, leaving lawmakers little time to agree on a deal to keep the federal government funded past the months' end. Republicans say sharp cuts in spending are needed to stem the nation's growing $31.4 trillion national debt, which was fueled by the TCJA in 2017.

Please select this link to read the complete article from Reuters.