(Radio Iowa) – Members of the U-S House and Senate now have some 42 days to reach an agreement on spending or they’ll face yet another shutdown of the federal government, what Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says would be an embarrassment. The temporary deal, known as a continuing resolution, was passed over the weekend “in the nick of time,” Grassley says, with only a few hours to spare.  “Congress needs to stop playing chicken with government funding,” Grassley says. “Government shutdowns bring terrible uncertainty, not just for federal employees, but for Americans who depend on basic government services to be up and running.”

Grassley, a Republican, says it costs a lot of money to shut down the government and even more to open it back up, creating a no-win scenario. There’s now a reprieve, but Grassley says he’s not entirely confident the 45-day extension will be sufficient. “If we can’t work together in a bipartisan way to get that done, we’ll be faced with the prospect of another embarrassing shutdown in mid-November,” Grassley says, “then Congress will be forced to eat its Thanksgiving turkey with a slice of humble pie on the side.”

Senator Grassley. (photo from Senate Budget Committee hearing)

Last week’s death of California Senator Dianne Feinstein means Grassley — at age 90 — is now the oldest serving member of the Senate — and House. He was asked if it changes his perspective, or brings an added sense of responsibility as the eldest statesman. “My perspective on serving the people of Iowa hasn’t changed since I was 47 years old and a new member of the United States Senate, or 43 years later, being the most senior member of the Senate and the senior member of the United States Senate by age.

He says “No, it doesn’t change my perspective at all the only thing I can say is, the alternative wouldn’t be as good.”