Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative John D. Dingell (D-MI15) issued the following floor statement yesterday regarding H.J.Res. 48, the second short-term continuing resolution (CR) to be passed in the 112th Congress:
“Today the House passed H.J.Res. 48, yet another short-term CR that delays real action. The resolution provides funding for three weeks, but does not provide any certainty in the economy or a plan to create jobs. More than half of fiscal year (FY) 2011 funding has been provided through these short-term fixes, without any real plan for the future. The fact that we are now considering the sixth interim CR for this fiscal year represents a complete shutdown in the appropriations process and an absolute lack of cooperation between the two parties.
“The appropriations process is never easy, but Republican Members of Congress have been utterly unwilling to compromise and come to the table to hammer out the final details of spending legislation for the remainder of the fiscal year—this is spending legislation that our country relies on to function. By placing the federal government on autopilot for another three weeks, Congress is abdicating its responsibility for providing oversight of federal spending levels. Even though the Senate and House Appropriations Committees spent a year crafting appropriations bills in the 111th Congress, Republicans have scrapped all that work in order to gain political points. I agree with Senator Daniel Inouye (D-HI), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, when he says that “the Congress owes it to the American people to demand that programs funded by their hard-earned money will be for the best purposes we can recommend based on the countless hours of work of our Committees and their staff.”
“Like I have said before, I am strongly opposed to the draconian cuts included in the House version of H.R. 1, the funding bill for the remainder of FY 2011. I believe cuts of that magnitude would sharply destabilize core government functions and would stifle economic growth and job creation. However, the legislative process is, and always has been, one of compromise — a word that has become “dirty” thanks to the political posturing of this Congress. I would like to remind my colleagues that we were elected to be real leaders and work together to get things done.
“Whether or not we agree on every detail, it is the responsibility of the Congress to provide long-term funding legislation so that agencies, small businesses, and individuals can plan for the future. It is a pipe dream to expect anyone to move forward without knowing that the necessary support will be there. I stand ready to work with my colleagues to find responsible and effective ways to trim the budget while also providing the necessary funding for essential government programs. It is my hope that the 112th Congress can put partisan bickering aside and agree on FY 2011 and FY 2012 appropriations bills that are solid, responsible, well thought-out, and balanced.”
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