Reid’s promise to Ryan prompts skepticism from Republicans

[WestVirginiaRebel]

The Hill:

House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) informed his GOP colleagues at a recent closed-door meeting that he had just received a promise from Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid (Nev.).

 

The room — filled with lawmakers skeptical of Reid’s motives — erupted in laughter.

 

“I know, I know,” the rookie Speaker replied with a grin, according to lawmakers in the room.

Fresh off a nearly $2 trillion government funding and tax-cuts deal, both Ryan and Reid are sounding a rare note of cooperation in the midst of a highly partisan presidential election cycle.

However, Reid's pledge to return to regular order on appropriations bills is facing hearty skepticism from congressional Republicans.

 

They feel they’ve been burned one too many times by Reid, who repeatedly filibustered House-passed appropriations bills this year and has a reputation for launching broadsides against the GOP from the Senate floor. And they’re not so sure the Nevada Democrat will allow bills to move through the Senate Appropriations Committee to the floor, where after they are approved they could be merged with House-passed legislation.

 

“I personally don’t trust Harry Reid as far as I could throw him,” quipped Rep. John Carter (R-Texas), chairman of the Committee on Appropriations' Subcommittee on Homeland Security.

 

“I’m extraordinarily skeptical,” added Ryan’s Wisconsin colleague, GOP Rep. Reid Ribble.

“I don’t want to be pessimistic, but Harry’s a tough character to deal with and he’ll find some way to stop virtually anything that he doesn’t completely support, which is most of what we care about,” said House Small Business Committee Chairman Steve Chabot (R-Ohio). Still, he added, “I wouldn’t discourage Paul from trying.”

________

 

They're all gonna laugh at you...