Press Releases

“My decision to vote against the budget caps bill early this morning was not an easy one.

This bill contained many things that are very good for the country. These funding levels represent a major victory after five years of work to end budget sequestration. Our region’s economy stands to benefit substantially from ending this arbitrary and destructive policy, and I wish Republicans had allowed it to happen years ago.

After months of fighting for a budget that provides long-term certainty for defense and non-defense agencies, I am very happy that Congress was finally able to achieve this basic requirement of governance thanks to help from Democratic leaders. The deal also achieved large investments in transportation, funding to address the opioid crisis, disaster relief, urgently-needed funding for community health centers, and veterans’ care. I support these goals wholeheartedly, and remain firmly opposed to any government shutdown.

At the same time, I have said since the beginning of this fight in September that my support for major budget legislation was contingent on the House taking action to protect Dreamers, which House Republicans still refuse to do.

It was deeply disheartening that Speaker Ryan was unable to bring himself to even say the word “bipartisan,” or to make Mitch McConnell’s verbal commitment to a “fair and open” process for immigration legislation. How can we make progress on this issue when the Speaker premises any future discussion on catering to the nativist desires of the far right of his conference and a xenophobic White House?

There is now less than a month until the March deadline created by the Trump Administration to take action, and in all this time neither Trump nor Ryan has made any constructive contribution to protect these young Americans. Paul Ryan will not be able to deliver the promise he made to Dreamers to protect them unless he shows the courage to stand up to his radical fringe and allow legislation supported by most of Congress and most Americans to come to the floor for a vote.”