Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., warned Republicans on Tuesday that they would get blamed for a government shutdown before November's election, calling such a move "politically beyond stupid."
McConnell made his declaration shortly after House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., unveiled a plan to vote this week on a bill that pairs a six-month continuing resolution to fund the federal government with the SAVE Act, legislation that would require proof of citizenship to register to vote, The Hill reported. Johnson pulled the same package from the House floor last week after widespread opposition within his party.
"One thing you cannot have is a government shutdown," McConnell told reporters, according to The Hill. "It would be politically beyond stupid for us to do that right before the election because certainly we'd get the blame.
"One of my favorite old sayings is there's no education in the second kick of a mule. We've been here before. I'm for whatever avoids a government shutdown, and that'll ultimately end up, obviously, being a discussion between the [Senate] Democratic leader [Chuck Schumer of New York] and the Speaker of the House."
McConnell said he wants a bipartisan compromise over the next 13 days to avoid a shutdown. Schumer said Tuesday he expects Johnson's proposal to fail on the House floor and expressed hope that he would then sit down with Democrats, The Hill reported.
"We hope after this vote, he will sit down and negotiate a bipartisan, bicameral bill," Schumer said.