Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY), Ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, today issued the following statement on the Republican majority’s second government shutdown in five years:
“A Republican president occupies the White House, and Republicans hold the majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. It is outrageous that, even with unified control of government, the majority could not chart a course toward keeping the government open, the most basic responsibility of Congress. The Republican majority is now presiding over its second government shutdown in five years.
“For months, we have known about impending deadlines for government funding, protecting teenagers and young adults from deportation, reauthorizing children’s health insurance, and much more. Instead of tackling these challenges head-on, the majority dithered and delayed, focused instead on a massive tax giveaway to huge corporations and the wealthiest Americans.
“And presented with a bipartisan immigration compromise that could have paved the way toward a budget agreement and responsible appropriations law, President Trump rejected it out-of-hand, leaving 800,000 young people at risk of deportation from the only country they have ever known.
“Now we are asked to pass a fourth Continuing Resolution, already nearly four months into the fiscal year. Governing by CR does immeasurable damage to our military and to every other aspect of the federal government. Perhaps that is why the majority could not muster a simple majority of their own members in the Senate for this irresponsible path.
“In 30 years in Congress, and 5 years as the Ranking Democrat on Appropriations, I have learned that shutdowns only happen when leaders fail to advance a funding package that can pass. It is time for the majority to work with Democrats to fulfill all of our critical responsibilities."
Source: U.S. Department of HCA
