JACKSONVILLE, Fla.-- For the first time in two decades, our U.S. representatives from Jacksonville are not here on New Year's Eve; they're in Washington trying to compromise and keep our country from falling over the fiscal cliff.
As the clock counts down to the debt deadline, local Congresswoman Corrine Brown told Action News over the phone that she's tied down.
"We are at the call of the chair," she said. "That means we have to be within 15 minutes of when the speaker calls to be able to come in and vote and so that's where we are."
But what is Brown doing specifically to reach a compromise?
"I'm first going to read the bill," she said. "Something worse than compromise is a bill that's unacceptable."
Brown says the problem is both sides are being stubborn.
"It's just very difficult working with people who don't understand or have this idea that government needs to work my way or the highway and that is just not the way it works," said Brown.
Republicans still want spending cuts and Democrats want higher taxes on the wealthy. But Congresswoman Brown believes her party has already done enough.
"We've given up almost a trillion dollars from the last cuts and they did not give up one single penny," she said.
Republicans, including Jacksonville's Ander Crenshaw, are dedicated to keeping taxes low.
He gave this statement to Action News:
"Any serious plan must address cuts to big government spending, reform entitlement and provide comprehensive and pro-growth tax reform which broadens the base, lowers rates, raises revenues and reduces the deficit."
