The Senate Democrats’ decision to shut down government on Friday night was irresponsible and wrong.
There was not a single thing in the Continuing Resolution (CR) that the Democrats’ opposed as evidenced by their vote this week. Instead, the #SchumerShutdown was political theater that put the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) at risk and forced our military to work without pay. Numerous training exercises were either cancelled or cut short over the weekend, dealing a further blow to our already concerning military readiness crisis.
I have advocated that Congress cease funding the government through these Continuing Resolutions. They not only act as a slush fund, allowing agencies to follow their own path independent of proper congressional oversight, but also undermine the military’s ability to plan multi-billion-dollar weapon investments and multi-million dollar training exercises.
Last year, the House developed and passed appropriations bills for FY 2018, following the process envisioned and outlined by our Founding Fathers. This transparent process ensures that every taxpayer dollar is scrutinized at the committee level and that every member has an opportunity to be involved when the bills go to the floor. However, these bills were never considered by the U.S. Senate nor did they produce spending bills of their own.
When faced with decision between a CR and a government shutdown, I voted to keep the government operating and wages and training pay flowing to the military. Additionally, I supported this resolution because it renewed the Children’s Health Insurance Program which serves more than 370,000 children in Florida.
As we prepare for the 2019 fiscal year, the House must once again produce and pass individual appropriations bills and we must demand that the U.S. Senate does the same. Once these bills have passed their respective chambers, any differences are settled by a conference committee between the chambers before being signed by the President. I look forward to working with my House colleagues to fulfill our responsibility to produce and pass meaningful funding bills that put the United States on the path to restoring the American Dream for our children and grandchildren.
Congressman Daniel Webster represents The Villages in The U.S. House of Representatives.
