The resulting public backlash was blamed mostly on Republicans.

The default funding plan introduced by DeMint and Hensarling was endorsed by the Director of Office of Management and Budget Jim Nussle and is very similar to a “Government Shutdown Prevention” plan the President included in his budget requests.

DeMint tried to introduce this bill as an amendment to an ethics bill in January, but it was stymied by Democratic Whip Sen. Dick Durbin (Ill.) on a procedural move.

Hensarling has introduced the measure as a part of a larger budget package annually since 2003.

DeMint admitted the bill would be hard to pass. “Why would an appropriator want to vote for this bill when the best chance they have of getting things through is to create a crisis?” He continued: “But this is a culture that has to stop. This is a reason [the approval rating of] Congress is at 11 percent: because Americans can see the games we play.”

Hensarling said: “This will be a test.... This will separate those who would like to avoid a government shutdown from those who would like to bring it about.”