DeFazio 'fed up' with Senate, has 'low opinion' of upper chamber

Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) said in the context of a budget debate on Friday that he has a "low opinion" of the Senate due to its inability to move on a spending bill this year.

"I'm pretty fed up with the Senate too, and I share your low opinion of them," DeFazio said after Rep. Rob Woodall (R-Ga.) spoke. Woodall did not say he has a "low opinion" of the Senate, but said repeatedly throughout the debate that the Senate needs to pass some version of a budget before the House and Senate can negotiate on a budget agreement.

After his remarks, House Speaker Pro Temp Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) reminded members that they should not make "improper references" to the Senate.

Most of DeFazio's criticism in floor comments were of Republicans in the House.

DeFazio was critical of the House GOP for taking up H.R. 1255, which attempts to treat H.R. 1, the GOP spending bill for FY 2011, as U.S. law if the Senate fails to pass its own budget by next Wednesday. DeFazio dismissed the bill and said it was an attempt to "keep the Republican freshmen busy" while Republican leaders attempt to cut a deal on spending.

DeFazio argued that H.R. 1255 is unconstitutional because it would attempt to circumvent Senate consideration, and said of Woodall, a freshman, "the gentleman has a little to learn, I realize he is new here, and he has been sent here on a fool's errand."

He also derided the ability of Republicans to understand the Constitution, even though they read the document on the House floor.

"Joe Wilson, we all remember Joe Wilson, 'you lie,'" DeFazio said. "He read Article 1 Section 7.2 on the floor, but apparently he and many others on that side didn't take it to heart." That section says bills must be approved by both the House and Senate.

"The Constitution is a little technical, I would recommend what I give out to school kids, How Are Laws Made. It would be a good primer for Republican freshmen who are being duped," DeFazio concluded.

House Republicans have said their bill would not "deem" H.R. 1 as law, but is meant as a reminder that the Senate needs to show what spending bill it can pass in order to negotiate with the House.