COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — Ahead of a potential government shutdown at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday morning, Colorado Republican Congressman Jeff Crank spoke to KOAA about the budget process, the Democratic push for policy goals and why the rescission package this summer was justified.
The full transcript and interview are below:
BRETT FORREST
All right, Congressman, tell me, what is the latest update you have from your Republican leadership in regards to the shutdown and the fight in Washington right now?
REP. CRANK
Well, I mean, I was on a call earlier today (Monday) with Speaker Mike Johnson and the House leadership, and you know, of course, we passed a clean continuing resolution to continue funding for the government through November 21 and pass that over, sent it over to the Senate.
The Senate did not vote that through. It's going to be brought up again, as I understand, tomorrow (Tuesday). The Clean CR, it's something that Democrats in the past have supported. In fact, during the Obama years and Biden years, they supported it dozens of times. And so, you know, it's the cleanest, easiest way to move forward and to not use a government shutdown as a weapon–political weapon.
And so I'm hopeful that the Senate will see the wisdom in that, and that we'll move forward and they will pass it. And that's all it really takes is for the Senate to get 60 votes to pass that clean CR and the government will stay open until November 21.
BRETT FORREST
You just said you're hopeful, but, in your opinion, is the government going to be shutting down midnight tomorrow?
REP. CRANK
Well, I mean, it really, I think, lies in the hands of probably seven or eight Democrats. They got, I think, 48, they'll probably likely get 50 or so senators, Republican senators, to do it. So it's gonna–it's gonna require some Democrats.
Of course, John Fetterman was one who crossed the aisle and voted to keep the government open. So, it's just gonna take them understanding. I mean, I would hope that our two US senators would cast a vote in favor of keeping the government open, and we can move it down the track to November 21 and solve some of these issues, get more appropriations bills passed.
That's the idea that we could do that and get more of the government funded, so we don't have to continue doing continuing resolutions.
BRETT FORREST
And so I know there's a lot of demands from Democrats, kind of using the only leverage they have right now. So, whether it's now or down the line when you're working on the actual budget bills, are you willing to work with them on some of those demands, specifically around the healthcare realm?
REP. CRANK
Well, you know what, let's see what some of their demands are. I mean, essentially, they want to spend over $1 trillion more, which if you add that up, it's about $3,100 for every man, woman, and child in America, all 350 million of us, to pay an extra $3,100 a year just to keep the government open.
I mean, it just is a crazy–it's frankly, some of their demands are crazy. They're trying to continue to get funding for healthcare for illegal immigrants. So, there's just so much going on right now. It's just unreasonable expectations on the part of Democrats. And again, they supported clean CRs. They've done it in the past. It's the only way to sort of move forward, and then we can hammer these other issues out down the road.
BRETT FORREST
So you are willing to work with them on some of their demands, would you say?
REP. CRANK
Well, again, I mean, I think as we go through the process, the tax credit issue is one that I think the Republican leadership has talked about, and they're willing, I think, to look at, but not with a gun held to everybody's head with the government shutdown looming.
I mean, the right thing to do is for the United States Senate to get 60 votes and pass it to keep the government open. If it doesn't happen, it's certainly not the fault of the House. The House sent this over to the Senate, and the Senate needs to act.
BRETT FORREST
And so thinking back to the summer, you guys passed the rescission package clawing back billions of dollars in previously allocated funding. So, why should Democrats trust the budget process anymore if there is a risk that maybe Republicans or President Trump might push to claw back-- funding that's budgeted in the future -- here?
REP. CRANK
Well, because we have a system that has a majority rule, right? I mean, the way it works is if you get the votes in the House or the Senate to pass something, then it passes. If the Democrats wanted to have their things passed, they should work with enough people to get 218 votes in the House and 51 votes in the Senate.
And that's what happened with the rescission package. We voted on that, and a majority of the House and Senate decided to rescind the money for corporation for public broadcasting, for instance and other things.
So now, we're trying to go back and revisit that and use a government shutdown to hold the American people hostage? It's just, it's not the right way to do business. And again, we can have those discussions, but majority does rule in Congress.
BRETT FORREST
And so there are obviously plenty of federal employees and federal contractors here in your district specifically. So, what's your message to them because they could be facing a significant life upheaval here in a couple of days.
REP. CRANK
Sure, well, first and foremost, I understand. It's why I voted to keep the government open, and, you know, why I hope that they will call their United States senators and ask them to vote to keep the government open until November 21.
I actually am in favor of a bill that is out there right now that would end this whole government shutdown nonsense and would say, “If we hit the end of a continuing resolution, it would just do another two week continuing resolution,” so that we could continue to get our work done and we don't use this as a weapon.
It doesn't work. Republicans tried it years ago. It didn't work for them then. It isn't going to work well for the Democrats this time.
Email Senior Reporter Brett Forrest at brett.forrest@koaa.com. Follow @brettforrestTV on X and Brett Forrest News on Facebook.
Brett can also communicate via encrypted apps like Signal. Due to the sensitive nature of ongoing reporting from federal actions, he is willing to take steps to protect identities.
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