House passed 7-week stopgap; Appropriations chairman says Senate must act

Tom Cole, Oklahoma Republican and chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, said the House voted to keep the federal government open for an additional seven weeks and is now waiting for the Senate to act.

"I authored the bill to keep the government open for another 7 weeks," Cole said in a studio interview. He said the House approved the short-term continuing resolution and that the Senate’s response will determine whether a shutdown occurs.

Cole argued the immediate standoff reflects a dispute over unrelated policy demands. "They're asking for us to commit to spend a trillion and a half dollars in exchange for a 4 week extension of government spending," he said. "It's a ridiculous request." He added that, in his view, Democrats are using the threat of a shutdown to gain leverage on items outside routine…