Huffman Votes to Keep Government Open; Slams President Trump’s National Emergency Declaration

February 15, 2019

Washington, D.C.- Representative Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) voted to pass a bipartisan, bicameral compromise funding agreement to avert a second senseless Trump Shutdown, while rejecting proposed cuts to critical domestic investments and working towards a more humane immigration system. The conference report passed the House by a veto-proof 300-128 margin.

“I voted “yes” on the bipartisan agreement to fund the government because overall it delivers wins on several key priorities. While this funding bill is not without its flaws, it is the best possible path forward to keep our government open and allow Congress to get back to the business of governing,” said Rep. Huffman.

Rep. Huffman also slammed President Trump’s expected national emergency declaration.

“I have one message to President Trump about his sham ‘national emergency’ declaration: we’ll see you in court. Trump’s last-ditch effort to secure his medieval border wall, with zero regard for the best interests of the American people or the facts, is a gross overstep and a clear violation of the rule of law. This months-long drama of his own making is clearly not an emergency, and now the courts and Congress will need to exercise checks and balances on an executive branch that is increasingly out of control,” said Rep. Huffman.

Rep. Huffman applauded several priorities included in the final conference report, including:

  • Keeping the federal government open, protecting vital services as well as the livelihoods of 800,000 federal workers and their families;
  • Overriding Trump’s pay freeze by providing a 1.9% pay raise for federal civilian employees, which President Trump had tried to deny;
  • Limiting new wall construction, including by protecting almost 20 miles of environmentally sensitive areas of the U.S.-Mexico border;
  • Rejecting numerous Trump requests to cut or eliminate programs, including by providing $1 billion in additional funding for the Census to keep a fair and accurate count, blocking cuts to clean water and clear air programs, and providing $435 million for the Land and Water Conservation Fund that Trump had proposed to eliminate; and
  • Includes language in the Joint Explanatory Statement that strongly supports 20-year lease/permits for the historic ranching and dairying operations in the Point Reyes National Seashore.

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