Senator Bill Nelson doesn't expect another government shut-down or default as new fiscal deadlines approach in December and January.
The Democrat is the only Floridian on a bipartisan Senate-House panel charged with crafting a budget blueprint by December 13th. That would give Congress time to act before January 15th on funding to keep the government running.
Nelson blames conservative Republicans for this month's shut-down. He says the outcome has left them isolated.
"They may not have changed their ways", warned Nelson. "All of their other brethren and sistren in the House and the Senate have seen the hardship stories that happened, and I don't think you'll see any stomach for doing this all over again."
Nelson was in Orlando Friday meeting with congressional staffers who had been furloughed during the shut-down.
The senator says the budget panel already began meeting yesterday. He says he'll work toward tax reform rather than deep spending cuts.