Huffman Casts Key Votes on the Federal Budget and Current Year Federal Government Funding

March 21, 2013

WASHINGTON---Today, Congressman Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael), a member of the House Budget Committee, cast two key votes on the federal budget.  Congressman Huffman voted in opposition to H. Con. Res. 25, funding the federal budget for FY 2014, and setting government spending limits for 2015-2023.  The Congressman voted in support of the Senate amendment to HR 933, which contained the Continuing Resolution for current year funding.

Congressman Huffman said, “The House voted today on the Republican budget resolution for fiscal year 2014. I strongly opposed this legislation when we debated it in the Budget Committee, I opposed it during debate on the House floor, and I opposed it when it came up for a vote today. The Republican budget resolution does not honor our commitment to seniors; it does not focus on jobs and economic growth; it would devastate our safety net; and it would end health care reform, which is so vital for our families and for the long-term economic health of our nation.

“I also voted today to avoid a government shutdown by supporting a flawed but necessary Continuing Resolution. I strongly opposed the previous version of this Continuing Resolution when it first came through the House, and I’m glad that the version of the bill that the Senate approved this week restored some funding priorities and allowed much-needed flexibility. Still, it continues much of the across-the-board ‘sequester’ cuts that will do serious harm to our economy and our communities.

“I have voted repeatedly against the sequester and in favor of Democratic alternatives that would achieve deficit reduction in a more balanced and thoughtful way. Unfortunately, House Republicans opposed our alternatives and instead chose the sequester, which is now beginning to take effect. My choice in this vote was between a flawed Continuing Resolution that fails to make enough changes to the sequester, and a government shutdown that would cause even greater harm.”

Sworn in on January 3, 2013, Congressman Jared Huffman proudly represents California’s Second District, which spans from the Golden Gate Bridge north to the Oregon border.  He serves on the House Budget Committee and the House Committee on Natural Resources.  Huffman has joined several official House caucuses that will enable him to work with colleagues on the issues that matter to his constituents, including the Progressive Caucus, the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition, and the Congressional Labor and Working Families Caucus.n

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