Sen. Casey Predicts Bipartisan Federal Budget Deal Will Happen

Sen. Bob Casey, in town today for a briefing on SEPTA's infrastructure needs, predicted that lawmakers in Washington will come to a budget agreement in the coming days.

"I think there will be a bipartisan agreement," said Casey, a Democrat. "It will be difficult and obviously the next ten days are going to be critical, but we've got to come together to get this done. This isn't some esoteric, theoretical debate. It's about paying our bills."

Check out this New York Times report on President Obama's press conference today regarding the contentious budget negotiations.

Casey said he'd like to see taxes hiked for the richest Americans, but said he wasn't sure that would be in a final deal. He stressed that any agreement must tackle federal debt, but also help spur job creation.

"There's still more cutting we can do, but we've got to be focused on creating jobs," Casey said. "We've got to cut in a smart way. We shouldn't be slashing law enforcement, slashing medical research, slashing investments in priorities like transit. It's a really stupid idea, even when times are difficult."

Casey was in town for a tour of SEPTA's aging infrastructure, also attended by U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah, Federal Transportation Administration Administrator Peter M. Rogoff and Mayor Nutter.