Fox News
Expand
Browse All Video
Watch Live

You're watching...

Can a last-minute Senate plan pass the House?

Details

  • Description

    Rep. Mike Lee weighs in on 'fiscal cliff'

  • Duration 5:00
  • Date

Clips

Also in this playlist...

America's News HQ

Auto-advance: ON

Auto-advance
View All

Transcript

This transcript is automatically generated

The house and senate are in town for -- rare Sunday session during holidays the last time congress was busy doing work between madness because in Christmas and new years with 1970.

It will be successful this time around joining us now live from Capitol Hill is Republican senator Mike Lee you -- he's a member of the joint economic committee.

Senator -- thank you very much for your time today what's the mood there.

Well its interest and we're guardedly optimistic that something might happen.

But what we have to keep in mind Shannon is that even assuming it that a deal happens at this point in the next 36 hours -- -- But we will be leaving intact 99%.

Of a dysfunctional system 99%.

Of -- tax code.

It's unstable but produces an inconsistent revenue stream and that's gotten a sixteen trillion dollars and dad and has been producing.

Trillion dollar annual deficits so.

What we will not be out of the woods by any means if we get a deal that might forestall some problems but a lot of problems remain ahead of us to address.

If you get this temporary patch.

And moving -- you name a number of things that need attention to talk about tax reform entitlement reform the debt ceiling is coming.

Out what appetite is there for any kind of cooperation on those huge issues when it seems so many times we get to this point before it even just most of minor temporary -- -- hammered out.

Well the more water that passes under this bridge -- more pressure there will be from our constituents to get something done -- I am sensing.

A lot of appetite government on the part of a lot of Republicans and Democrats in both houses of congress.

To move forward to pass a budget to get to the point where will we are getting to balance this needs to happen.

And we we have to remember that if we get a deal done today.

That will not address all of these problems.

-- according to one of our big chief end.

Gurus on Capitol Hill -- program -- of our producers see you probably know he just lets send tests and alert according to senate democratic aide saying.

-- -- major setback in the past while.

We still don't know whether there will be something hammered out on the senate side but if it isn't where do we go from there.

It's difficult to say we'll have to see how close we came and what it was that was the setback.

But we have to remember that anytime you get into this set of circumstances.

And you have people on either side of the aisle trying to play.

Political games it's not helpful and the American people as a whole will lose that's why -- Disappointed and a little surprised to hear that the president had done precisely that on Meet the Press just a couple of hours ago.

The irony in that Sharon is that -- and isn't it the exact moment that this was occurring.

Mitch McConnell.

And the other ironic point there is that we have been asking the president to show some leadership here we've been asking for his involvement.

And I hope that he will come to the table I hope he will help us get to a deal but political games at this point don't help.

All right so much in the negotiation is going on just between a handful of people at this point something that you Republican colleague senator Ron Johnson a was very upset about we talk to him in last hour.

How do you feel about that it will you be willing as a Republican to simply step up and sign on to what ever deal if there is one reached that the minority leader has reached with majority leader Reid.

On the will you go broke as they say as many out Republicans have done over in the house side saying I'm not just gonna go with leadership -- gonna bucked the trend.

Well look I'm I'm I'm never going to indicate one way or another whether I'm voting for a particular legislative proposal.

Until I've seen so I I've got to see if I've got to have a chance to read it and study its ramifications before -- tell you whether I would vote for it or -- again.

Would you rule out a filibuster it was something that you personally having vetted it couldn't agree.

No I would not rule out any option at this.

OK so I'm moving forward then the GOP is now continuing -- to have to deflect this argument that of one of the president made again today on Meet the Press.

Essentially that your bottom line seems to be only about protecting wealthy Americans otherwise it would have reached a deal at this point would have taken something else that he -- -- on the table -- response.

Well it's odd in -- flatly inconsistent with what the president himself said just a couple of years ago.

When he acknowledged that when you raise taxes on any group of Americans in the middle of an economic downturn it hurts every one.

And it's going to hurt the most vulnerable among us that did the most and so I you know I I wish we had some more of those statements from the president right now.

I I don't understand.

Where he's coming from when he says that but more importantly -- It this is this is hypocritical and it's ironic for the president.

Who has refused to push through a budget a budget that could get even a single vote.

In the democratically controlled senate this year or last year it's it's it's ironic and hypocritical for him to be saying that -- he has even pushed through a budget.

All right senator -- -- Republican and you topping -- got a lot of work ahead and we do wish you the best served.

Load More