Goodlatte: Shutdown never should have happened

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Earlier today, after three days of inaction, Senator Schumer and his colleagues in the United States Senate finally agreed to stop stalling and support legislation to fund the government through February 8. Tonight, the U.S. House of Representatives once again passed legislation to fund the federal government. It also included reauthorization of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for six years.

Congressman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) released the following statement on today’s votes:

“This shutdown never should have happened. Senator Schumer and Senate Democrats held funding for our government hostage for three days over a bill they did not even disagree with just because they had not yet gotten a deal on DACA. Negotiations in the House and Senate were already underway on how to address DACA by the March deadline, and the decision to insert this issue into the funding debate and hold our government hostage was completely unnecessary. Tonight, these Senators did what they should have done on Friday – pass a bill to fund the federal government, preserve access to children’s health coverage for thousands of Virginia children, and provide for our troops.

“The shutdown may be over, but we still need to continue conversations about long-term spending solutions in Congress. Funding the federal government through short-term deals isn’t the way to govern, and I know many in the Sixth District agree. The House has passed all 12 appropriations bills needed to fund the government for 2018; however, the Senate has yet to take them up. I hope Senate Democrats will allow these bills to come to the floor so that Congress can stop depending on short-term fixes and fund our government with certainty.”