Kaptur Slams Republican Leaders in Congress for Failing to Pass Critical 2017 Budget and Department Funding Bills
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 17, 2016
Contact: Nicole Dailey Jones, (800) 964-4699 & (202) 225-5411 or Marcy.KapturPress@mail.house.gov
Kaptur Slams Republican Leaders in Congress for Failing to Pass Critical 2017 Budget and Department Funding Bills
Washington, DC- Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) responded to the decision of House and Senate Republican leaders to scrap annual Budget and Appropriations bills for the 2017 operating year, which began October 1, 2016. Just like the Republican majority failed to pass its 2017 Budget earlier in the year, now they have defaulted on their responsibilities to provide funding for the federal government for 2017, instead, only extending current operating support for three months, through March 31, 2017 by means of a Continuing Resolution.
By failing to pass twelve critical bills that are essential to operating the Departments of the Federal government, Republicans have demonstrated they do not have a working majority to get the nation’s work done. In essence, they have abdicated their Constitutional responsibilities and created great uncertainty in the marketplace. Important contracts for construction will be held up. Defense planners will not be able to execute their objectives effectively. And bills will not be paid in full and on time. Spring contracts for highway and infrastructure improvements will be held up and delayed, costing more money over time.
A continuing resolution at 2016 funding levels will have consequences for communities in Ohio, across America, and around the globe. Job growth and America’s defense industrial base will suffer as contracts are further delayed and military leadership is hamstrung to implement strategies that better reflect today’s global threat. Dredging in our Great Lakes and detection, prevention, and mitigation efforts to combat harmful algal blooms will be delayed as another summer bloom approaches. Workers at Portsmouth, Ohio’s nuclear clean-up site may face pink-slips due to insufficient funding. Fewer veterans and homeless Americans will receive housing assistance. How much longer do communities struggling with heroin and opioid addiction have to wait for increased funding for treatment?
Thousands of hours were dedicated into negotiations to complete the annual appropriations bills for floor action this year. Our Committee has done its work. These bills reflect the needs and threats facing our nation. To ignore this important work and instead put the government on automatic pilot with programmatic and funding level over two years old means living in the past.
Months of bipartisan effort to craft our national spending plan are for naught because Republicans in Congress are choosing to walk off the job. Even as the American people sought change in last week’s election, the very first action Republicans in Congress take when they get back inside the beltway is to deliver more of the same inaction and brinksmanship. What a letdown.
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