Lawmakers in Washington will be putting together a budget proposal soon. As Democrats and Republicans fight for their budget priorities, tensions are likely to grow according to Senator Claire McCaskill (D-Missouri). She expects Democrats to block a vote on the budget to force Republicans to the negotiating table.
“I’m hoping that everyone is a grown-up and gets to a table of compromise,” said McCaskill. “We need to figure out how to take the money that we have to spend in the budget and distribute it fairly and address all of the needs of our country.”
As federal funding faces cuts, McCaskill says so could Missouri’s budget.
“I think people forget that almost 40% of the Missouri state budget is federal money. So as we cut the federal budget, there’s going to be an impact at local levels across this country.”
McCaskill says she hopes lawmakers will pass a budget before the eleventh hour.
“It’s so frustrating around here that everyone wants it their way. This is where we desperately need a compromise and we need it now rather than at the eleventh hour.”
McCaskill says she thinks people get tired of crisis legislating by taking action at the very end of the deadline or after.
