Ruppersberger Supports Funding Bill to End Government Shutdown

(Washington, D.C.) – Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (MD-02) tonight voted in support of a Continuing Resolution (CR) that re-opens the government and funds its operations through February 8. He issued the following statement:

“Today, I voted for a CR that will fund the government through February 8 on behalf of the hundreds of thousands of federal workers and troops in Maryland who must support their families and can’t afford an indefinite furlough. I am supporting a two-and-a-half-week CR now, only after receiving on-the-record commitments to finally tackle tough issues like long-term funding for our military, critical domestic programs, DACA, the opioid crisis and much more. Senate leaders have pledged to do this in a bipartisan and fair process – and I hope that House leaders will follow suit in the best interest of our nation.

Our constituents sent us to Washington to do our jobs and pass a long-term budget that gives our federal agencies and troops the certainty they deserve. Funding the government from month-to-month and from crisis-to-crisis is no way to lead. And, while band aid budgets are bad for everyone, they are especially dangerous for our military – but the only thing worse than yet another CR is a government shutdown.

I care about Dreamers and we now have a clear path forward on this critical issue. I look forward to supporting a DACA resolution come February 8, when the Senate Majority Leader has committed to putting it on the floor for a vote as long as the government remains open. When you are in the minority party in both chambers of Congress as well as the White House, this is a victory.

My message to Republicans this week has been simple: You can’t get 100 percent of what you want 100 percent of the time. The same is true for Democrats. I urge Congressional leaders to negotiate a truly bipartisan appropriations bill that lifts the sequester, provides long-term funding for our priorities and includes responsible immigration reform that protects the Dreamers."