Boehner Confident Government Will Remain Open
September 27 2015 - 10:10PM
Dow Jones News
Outgoing Speaker of the House John Boehner (R., Ohio) said he
expects to be successful in averting a government shutdown this
week, even if it means going against some members of his own caucus
and relying on Democratic lawmakers to pass the legislation.
Mr. Boehner announced on Friday that he would be resigning from
Congress at the end of October.
Asked on CBS's "Face The Nation" whether the government would
shut down, he said, simply "no."
"The Senate is expected to pass a continuing resolution next
week," he said, referring to the legislation that would keep the
government functioning from Oct. 1 through Dec. 11. "The House will
take up the Senate bill."
Asked if the measure will require Democratic votes to pass, Mr.
Boehner said, "I'm sure it will. But I expect my Democrat
colleagues want to keep the government open as much as I do."
Some Republicans have sought to tie the vote to legislation that
would cut off funding for Planned Parenthood, a women's health
provider that performs abortions and other services. Mr. Boehner
has been pushing to keep the government open, having made clear
that he doesn't want a repeat of the situation in 2013, when much
of the government was closed for more than two weeks.
Mr. Boehner suggested setting up a special committee to
investigate Planned Parenthood instead.
Even one of Mr. Boehner's toughest critics within his own party,
Mick Mulvaney (R., S.C.) was resigned to the likelihood of the
government remaining open. In July, Mr. Mulvaney had sent a letter
to House leadership urging the use of "every available tool" to end
funding for Planned Parenthood and said he would "not support any
funding measure that provides taxpayer dollars for this
organization."
In previous budget battles, Mr. Boehner would have to worry
about not angering members of his own party who could seek to have
him ousted as speaker.
"My guess is we will cut a deal with Democrats, or at least some
Republicans will, in order to keep the government open next week,"
Mr. Mulvaney said in an interview on Fox News Sunday.
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(END) Dow Jones Newswires
September 27, 2015 22:55 ET (02:55 GMT)
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