A Republican congressman said Tuesday night that House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) will likely be left with no choice but to hold a vote on the compromise currently being negotiated in the Senate.
“I believe that John Boehner will likely be in a position where he will have to essentially pass the bill that is negotiated between Sens. McConnell and Reid,” Rep. Charlie Dent (R-PA) said on CNN. “And I believe that the House would first pass it then send it to the Senate.”
Citing the urgency to raise the debt ceiling before the deadline on Thursday, Dent said it would be more efficient to pass the measure in the House first.
Boehner’s efforts to produce a proposal to avert default and reopen the government flopped on Tuesday after he drew pushback from conservatives in his caucus.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) were nearing a breakthrough earlier this week before halting their talks in anticipation of action from House Republicans. The failure in the House prompted leaders in the Senate to restart talks.
