Sen. Mark Kirk on C-SPAN now on avoiding government shutdown. UPDATE

WASHINGTON–Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) is on C-SPAN now from the Capitol, talking about how Congress is trying to break the budget stalemate and avoid a shutdown. He’ll also be taking calls.

UPDATE

Kirk, a former House member, said he was “a little surprised” at how partisan the Senate is, including the custom of Democratic and GOP senators holding separate lunches each week. Kirk said he has teamed up with Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) to launch bi-partisan lunches on Thursday. END UPDATE