As U.S. hurtles toward a possible shutdown, lawmakers trade blame on "Face the Nation"
(CBS News) - As the U.S. government appeared to be headed to a shutdown, two top senators joined "Face the Nation" Sunday to discuss a path forward.
"Why don't we have the conference committee on this? You could appoint one today, they could meet tomorrow and hash out the differences," suggested Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. The Kentucky Republican's call to send the CR to conference made headlines at The Washington Post and POLITICO.
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said he would open to discussing be a measure in the House bill that repeals a tax on medical devices, "but not with a gun to my head."
"Let's sit down in a bipartisan, calm way," Durbin suggested, "not with the prospect of shutting down the government or shutting down the economy."
Durbin also predicted that Congress wouldn't be able to make a deal before the shutdown deadline.
"We know what's going to happen," Durbin warned, "the House position is going to be rejected again and we're going to face the prospect of the government shutting down come midnight Monday night, Tuesday morning. You can read more about our conversation with Sen. Durbin at USA Today, POLITICO, Wall Street Journal, New York Daily News, New York Times, Huffington Post, Businessweek, and The Hill.
Turning to voices from the House, Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., agreed with Sen. Rand Paul that the President is to blame for bringing the government so close to a shutdown, specifically criticizing President Obama's unwillingness to compromise. "We've been met with this attitude of no negotiation. Don't want to sit down. Don't want to talk about this. It's my way or the high way."
Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., in turn, blamed Republicans for a strategy that aimed, in his words, "to drive the country to the cliff and then say, 'Give us what we want, and the Affordable Care Act, or we're going to shut down the government for default on our debts.' "
You can read more about our heated discussion with Reps. Blackburn and Van Hollen at POLITICO and The National Review.
