Two GOP House members took aim at Senate Republicans Monday for what they see as lax efforts to negotiate with Democrats over the debt ceiling and government shutdown.
"The Senate Republicans, with all due respect, are only relevant I would argue because we have a House majority,"
Rep. Aaron Schock, R-Ill., told Fox News Channel's "On the Record."
The only reason President Barack Obama called off negotiations with the House leadership, he said, was because he thinks he can get a better deal from the Senate.
Schock repeated his call for Senate Republicans to "grow a backbone." They should join House Republicans and not sell out on anything short of a deal that takes care of long-term spending, he said.
House members have long held a view that Senators are snobs, w
ith Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., often joking about it.
Rep. Raul Labrador, R-Idaho, told CNN's "The Situation Room" Monday that Senate Republicans always want to put off the fight until later.
"They always want to wait until the next time," Labrador said. "And if they continue to pussyfoot around like they do in these battles, they're never going to be able to take back the Senate."
Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., was more conciliatory, telling CNN that Republicans in the House deserve part of blame for the government shutdown and the breakdown in talks over the debt ceiling.
"We should have been better at handling this," Issa said.
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