CHICAGO (AP) — U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin said Friday he's as frustrated as most Americans with the repeated "doomsday scenario" involving the federal budget.

Appearing with hospital researchers in Chicago on the day that $85 billion in automatic spending cuts were to take effect, the Senate's No. 2 Democratic leader joined an effort by both political parties to blame each other for the problem when he pointed at House Republicans he said are not willing to negotiate.

"You fix it with an election," Durbin said. "Unfortunately, at this point, there is control in the House of Representatives by a group that invites this. They like this approach. I think it's a mistake."