Huffman statement on passage of short-term funding bill

September 30, 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congressman Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) today issued the following statement after the House passed a Continuing Resolution to keep the federal government funded through December 11, 2015:

“Today, Congress approved a stopgap funding bill that will keep federal agencies operating through December 11, avoiding a damaging -- and completely unnecessary – government shutdown that would have begun at midnight. Postponing a government shutdown is not something we should celebrate: this is a ten week reprieve, not a solution. And the fact that 151 Republicans voted 'no' is an ominous sign: it tells us more than half of the House Republican caucus was ready today to shut down the government over Planned Parenthood funding.

"Democrats will never throw women’s health funding under the bus, just as we didn’t capitulate on healthcare reform the last time House Republicans decided to shut down the government. That means any reasonable compromise that funds the government beyond December 11th probably starts with 151 Republican 'no' votes. Because Republican leadership needs Democratic votes to prevent their radicals from shutting down the government, they should get to work on serious negotiations with Democrats now.

"With good faith on both sides, we can pass a responsible government funding package for the upcoming fiscal year that rolls back the wrongheaded sequester cuts and reauthorizes the Export-Import Bank and Land and Water Conservation Fund, two bipartisan programs that support jobs across the country.

"The new Republican leadership has an opportunity to show that it is capable of actually governing rather than the crisis-by-crisis improvisation the Republican majority has shown for the past few years. We can and must do better.”

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