Florida Parish News

Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) appeared on ABC News’ This Week to discuss the upcoming government funding deadline. Scalise emphasized that House Republicans have already passed a bill to keep the government open and called on Senate Democrats to take action.

“We passed a bill through the House to keep the government from shutting down. Hakeem [Jeffries] actually whipped his members to shut the government down. He voted that way. But luckily, we were able to get the bill passed. Right now, it's over in the Senate, and it's on Chuck Schumer and Democrats in the Senate to keep the government from shutting down. I hope they'll come to their senses and do that early next week," Scalise said.

Scalise noted that the current continuing resolution (CR) contains funding levels previously agreed upon by both parties in March. He stated, “Just keep in mind, Martha, if you go back to March, this is the same set of funding levels that Democrats voted for in March that is contained in this CR. There is no new changes to what we're trying to do to keep negotiations going. We still need to have negotiations. There is a conference committee on many of the appropriations bills right now... Ultimately, let's let those talks continue until November with this short-term government funding bill that's in the Senate. But it's the same levels of funding that the Senate voted for, Democrats included, back in March.”

Addressing Democratic opposition, Scalise said: “I'm not only hopeful. I, Speaker Johnson, all of my Republican colleagues voted to prevent a government shutdown, and we passed that bill to the Senate. That bill is still sitting over in the Senate. You saw a vote a few days ago where almost every Republican and only one Democrat voted for it. There's still time for an agreement to be reached. I'm glad that President Trump is showing leadership in meeting with all leaders, Republican and Democrat on Monday in the White House. But ultimately, those Democrats have to make a decision. Do they want to shut down the government to appease their radical base who's been just looking for a fight for Donald Trump for no reason other than they're not happy with the results of the election last year? Or are they going to work with the President to keep negotiations going? Again, this is a short-term funding bill that goes until November 21st, allows for troops to be paid, all of the other things that Hakeem [Jeffries] and everybody says they don't want yet they voted to shut the government down. Let's have the Senate go do the right thing and pass that bill that's sitting over there waiting.”

Scalise also commented on recent legal developments involving former FBI Director James Comey: “Well, we saw an unbelievable abuse of power from federal agencies for years and years. Frankly, James Comey is one of the main culprits in undermining public's trust in agencies like FBI. He abused his power, Martha. Now ultimately he has been indicted for lying Congress... That's what he was indicted for... He's going go before jury peers... there's serious charges... he was behind Russian hoax undermined public confidence these agencies... he's accused being dirty cop... disgraced agency.”

Steve Scalise has represented Louisiana’s 1st district since 2008 after succeeding Bobby Jindal as U.S Congress member (https://scalise.house.gov/about). Before serving at national level he held seats both at Louisiana House Representatives (1996-2008) as well as Louisiana State Senate during 2008 (https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/S001176). Born New Orleans 1965 Scalise currently lives Jefferson Parish; he holds Bachelor Science degree from Louisiana State University.