CONGRESSMAN BISHOP STATEMENT ON CONTINUING RESOLUTION
December 8, 2017
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA) released the following statement in response to the House passage of the two week Continuing Resolution (CR). The CR passed the House yesterday by a vote of 235 to 193.
"Our responsibility is to keep the government open and working for the people. We should have continued to work to meet the December 8th funding expiration date with a responsible appropriations measure, instead of kicking the can down the road for two more weeks.
"Federal agencies and our communities require long-term certainty. There continues to be a number of outstanding issues needing immediate attention, which are not addressed in this two week CR. These items include:
- Providing disaster assistance to communities that have been impacted by storms, hurricanes, and wildfire, including communities in Southwest and Middle Georgia,
- Reauthorizing the Children's Health Insurance Program and Community Health Centers, which provide vital health services for our most vulnerable citizens,
- Passing the DREAM Act, to protect hardworking individuals that are threatened with deportation despite contributing to the American Dream,
- Funding the fight against the opioid epidemic,
- Modernizing our defense capabilities and ensuring our service members have adequate resources on the field, and
- Raising the draconian budget cap that threatens to starve off much needed investments in agriculture, child and adult health, disease research, infrastructure and community development, Social Security disability, nutrition assistance, before and after school programs, student aid and loan assistance, job training, economic and business development, housing assistance, and scientific and environmental research.
"I urge my colleagues to come to the table to finalize a long-term appropriations measure that reflects our priorities and values as Americans and strengthens our country."