The White House accused congressional Republicans Tuesday of "brinksmanship" over the budget and said President Clinton will not sign a short-term budget measure that does not meet his priorities, raising the possibility of a third government shutdown.
"It looks uncomfortably like the Republicans are playing brinksmanship again," White House spokesman Mike McCurry said, adding that Clinton wants his key priorities addressed: funds for Medicare, the environment, education and technology."The president has made clear that he is not going to be held hostage by the Republican majority in Congress. If we don't get those investments, the president is not going to sign a measure coming from Congress," McCurry said.
The government, which was partially closed twice in the past five months, is currently being funded under legislation that expires Friday.
Asked if another shutdown was possible, McCurry replied: "The president can't imagine that the Congress will put us through that misery for a third time."
Republicans agreed. "I don't think any good came out of that the last time," Senate Whip Trent Lott, R-Miss., said Monday.
Nonetheless, both parties see profit in accusing the other of recklessly holding government functions hostage to their demands.
House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., said: "It's been surprising to me that, at a time the president has vetoed the balanced budget act, that he would be demanding dramatically higher spending and indicate a willingness to close the government to get his way."