Reid says Senate Republicans blocking vote on their own budget plan

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Senate Republicans have violated their agreement to hold a test-vote on the House GOP’s 2011 budget plan that would slash $57.5 billion in government spending. 

“They don't want to live up to the agreement that was made,” Reid said in comments on the Senate floor. “We agreed, I repeat, to hold a vote on H.R. 1, the Republican plan that they moved to the Senate floor themselves.”

Reid said GOP leaders, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) agreed to the vote during a meeting last week with Reid, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), and Vice President Biden. The parties also agreed to vote on the Democratic spending proposal that would cut just $6.5 billion in spending. 

“There is no question that that was the agreement made,” said Reid. “No question that that was the deal. But now the Republicans are reneging on that deal. They don't want to vote on their own plan.”

A GOP aide said he expected votes on the spending measures to take place Tuesday evening or Wednesday. The aide said Reid is making accusations to distract people from criticism that Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) leveled at Democratic leaders earlier in the morning for not taking a more aggressive approach to reducing spending. 

Reid insisted in his comments that he would force a vote on the legislation, whether Republicans liked it or not. 

“Well they are going to have a chance to vote on H.R. 1,” Reid said. “I may have to jump through all the procedural hoops to do it in spite of the fact that they made a deal. We are going to do that. The Republicans over here are going to have to vote on that terrible bill. They are going to have to vote on it."