Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) challenged Speaker John Boehner’s (R-OH) contention Sunday that “there are not the votes in the House to pass a clean CR” and reopen the government.
“Well, first, the speaker said there aren’t the votes on the floor to re-open the government. Let me issue him a friendly challenge. Put it on the floor Monday or Tuesday. I would bet there are the votes to pass it,” Schumer said on ABC’s “This Week” appearing just after Boehner. “We have just about every Democrat, 21 Republicans have publicly said they would. There are many more Republicans who have said that they privately would.”
“So, Speaker Boehner, just vote. Put it on the floor and let’s see if you’re right.”
White House spokesman Jay Carney issued a similar challenge on Twitter:
The Speaker says there are “not enough votes” to pass a clean CR? If he’s right, why not prove it? http://t.co/h3Xb2suIU6 #JustVote
— Jay Carney (EOP) (@PressSec) October 6, 2013
The No. 3 Democratic senator also wrote off Boehner’s threats of default as “posturing” and predicted the Speaker will relent.
“I think there’s a bit of posturing going on here,” Schumer said. “To have us default could, and there’s a pretty high chance, send us into a recession deeper than the one in 2008. … I believe Speaker Boehner will not do that when push comes to shove.”
He accused Boehner of “playing with fire” and likened his stance to that of a hostage-taker.
“Speaker Boehner comes in and he says, basically, it’s sort of like this,” Schumer said. “Someone goes into your house, takes your wife and children hostage and then, says, let’s negotiate over the price of your house.”
