Secretary of State John Kerry has urged lawmakers to reach a fiscal deal ahead of the next round of scheduled budget talks in December, Reuters reported Thursday.Lesley Wroughton writes the former senator told a Center of American Progress conference audience the international perception of the U.S. ability to lead in international negotiations has suffered as a result of the budget gridlock led to a 16-day government shutdown.
“What we do in Washington matters deeply to them, and that is why a self-inflicted wound like the shutdown that we just endured can never happen again,” Kerry said, according to Reuters.
“The simple fact is that the shutdown created temporary but real consequences in our ability to work with our partners and pursue our interests abroad.â€
