No real progress on budget deal, says Reid

“Infighting” in the Republican party is holding up a budget deal, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said in a Monday floor speech.

“Infighting between the Tea Party and the rest of the Republican party including Republican leadership is keeping our negotiating partner from the negotiation table,” said Reid. “Republicans need to resolve their own deep disagreements before we can find middle ground between the two parties.”

Reid’s speech echoed a statement he released earlier in the day that also blamed the Tea Party movement for an impasse in the debate over how much to reduce spending this year. Reid and other Democrats argue that Speaker John Boehner (Ohio) and other GOP leaders are being led by Tea Party freshmen in the House GOP conference.

Reid said that congressional leadership worked every day last week to reach a deal and that Democrats had offered a proposal that included “significant cuts that would not hurt our fragile economy” but that Republicans had shied away from making a deal.

“On the other side Republicans refuse to negotiate on the final number,” said Reid. “Republicans still have not admitted to themselves they need Democrats to pass this bill.”

Reid said he is worried that the Congress will run out of time again. The current measure funding the government expires after April 8.

“We have tried to have patience but our patience and the American people’s patience is growing very thin,” said Reid. “Time is not on our side.

“The country waits, watches and worries,” added Reid.