Freshman Republican Rep. Mike Kelly, gathering with a group of his first-term House colleagues, demanded that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and the Democrat-controlled Senate “get off their rear ends” and pass a budget. The group of GOP House freshmen called this a “basic legislative responsibility” that Reid has ignored for 888 days.
“We’ve done everything we’re supposed to do,” the Pennsylvania congressman said at the Capitol Tuesday. “You send it to the Senate, you just walk 100 paces down the hall and find out they [the Senate] can’t even talk about it because they are more worried about re-election than they are about reform.”
“So all we’re looking for is to get off their rear ends and get something done for this country, that’s all. It’s not about Republicans or Democrats; it’s about America … and if you didn’t want that responsibility, why in the world did you run? Quit sitting on the sidelines,” Kelly challenged, flanked by fellow GOP freshman.
[ooyala embedCode=”s2YWd2MjoF5Lnkd8vZF0IPFwa3HUE8ud” name=”ooyalaPlayer_3i2un_goq1q86s” width=”640″ height=”360″ /]
Republican Rep. Jeff Landry of Louisiana joined the fray, accusing Reid of protecting Democrats in the Senate who are up for re-election in 2012.
“While American people wait for jobs and the House waits for a budget, Harry Reid protects 23 Democratic senators in their re-election bid next year — that’s what this all boils down to. This,” Landry said, “is pure politics.”
The GOP-controlled House passed a budget in April. The Democrat-controlled Senate failed to pass its version before the new fiscal year began Saturday.