Crawford Continues Freshmen Attacks On Senate’s Reid

First District freshman Congressman Rick Crawford (R-Jonesboro) continues his daily press conference with other new members to try to push the U.S. Senate into budget compromises with the House.

The press events have been called "publicity stunts" by Democrats as both sides seek to avoid a federal government shutdown.

Peter Urban with our content partner, Stephens Media, reports:

At a press conference outside the U.S. Capitol, Crawford and more than a dozen other House Republicans laid the blame for any government shutdown on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and the Democrats.

“It’s Day 46 … that’s just inexcusable,” Crawford said Wednesday.

Reid blamed Republicans for the budget impasse.

“Every time we agree to meet in the middle, they move where the middle is. They said no when we met them halfway. Now they say, ‘It’s our way or the highway.’ That’s no way to move forward,” Reid said.

The House Republican plan to fund the remainder of the fiscal year included $61 billion in cuts that Democrats found objectionable. Reid said the “radical” cuts would cost 700,000 jobs and slow economic growth.

Republicans said the cuts are small potatoes compared to the size of the federal deficit and question how serious Democrats are in ever balancing the federal budget.

Crawford has been holding a daily news conference outside the U.S. Capitol to draw attention to the budget impasse. As to the latest letter to Reid, he said he has “no idea” if it will have any impact.

You can read more of Urban’s report at this link.