Mesabi Daily News: NOLAN: SHUTDOWN AVOIDABLE
VIRGINIA — A two-party solution could go a long way, especially if the federal government wants to avoid shutting down at month’s end, said Congressman Rick Nolan, D-Minn., to a crowd Wednesday at Virginia City Hall.
With a decision on the federal budget looming after Congress returns from its holiday break, Nolan said he has a hard time seeing Republicans reaching a compromise without the involvement of Democrats, pointing to the party’s health care failure.
That was the case years ago, he added, when former House Speaker John Boehner reached across the aisle to avoid a shutdown. With current House Speaker Paul Ryan in a similar predicament with the Freedom Caucus of the GOP, a similar resolution could be on the horizon.
“My guess is that they will have to,” Nolan said during one stop of a two-day listening tour in Northeastern Minnesota, “because they can’t pass anything on their own right now.”
Bipartisan support for a $1 trillion infrastructure plan is also expected, Nolan said, noting that President Trump has yet to offer a gameplan toward that campaign promise. The congressman is confident an infrastructure proposal will happen, a sentiment shared across the region as a major jobs creator that would increase demand for U.S. steel.
A big hurdle in the House — as exemplified by the health care vote — is if Ryan restores regular order on bills. That’s where Nolan says Democrats and the Freedom Caucus empathize with each other, because closed order doesn’t allow for amendments and ideas to be exchanged and voted on.
“There’s a lot of advantages to collaboration,” Nolan added. “If Speaker Ryan restores regular order, we’ll come to an agreement.”
Nolan spoke on a variety of topics Wednesday, including health care, the Trump budget and rolling back regulations. He continued to express a positive outlook over the federal effort to block more than 234,000 acres from mining near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.
“We have the cleanest water in Minnesota,” he said, noting he didn’t support full efforts to repeal other Obama administration regulations that were steps forward. “Changing them is one thing, doing away with them is something else.”
To run, or not to run
When asked about his interest in running for governor of Minnesota, Nolan said he’d be remiss if he didn’t consider it. He’s won two tight races for the Eighth District seat, and was named by several publications last year as one of the most effective congressmen.
“I want to be where I can do the most for Minnesota,” he said Wednesday.