Quigley Statement on House Government Funding Vote

Today, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05), Chairman of the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee, voted in favor of a continuing resolution to avert a government shutdown. Following the vote, Quigley released a statement:

"This summer, my colleagues and I on the Appropriations Committee wrote government funding legislation that moves our country forward and delivers on families' needs. In the time since, Republicans have refused to come to the table with Democrats and negotiate on an agreement. While I am relieved that we will not be putting the American people through an unnecessary and damaging government shutdown, another short-term solution is simply not good enough. We are still in the middle of a public health crisis and an economic recovery. Our economy needs the certainty provided by new appropriations bills.

"Let me be clear: we must fully fund the government."

Earlier today, Quigley spoke on the House floor about the need for Republicans to negotiate on long-term government funding legislation. Video of Quigley's remarks is available HERE. The text of Quigley's remarks as prepared for delivery is available below.

Mr/Madam Speaker,

As Chairman of the Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee, I rise today in disappointed support of the second continuing resolution.

House Democrats did our jobs and passed government funding bills to create good-paying jobs, support the hard-working middle class, and protect our national security.

In September, we voted on a bipartisan basis to extend government funding through December 3 to allow negotiations to finalize legislation to fund the government for the remainder of the fiscal year.

Since then, Republicans have refused to negotiate with us on government funding.

Disappointingly, that leads us to where we are now, considering another now short-term CR right before the holiday break, when we should have already completed our work.

Working families, small businesses, veterans, and our military need the certainty that comes with passing a new appropriations bill as opposed to short-term funding patches.

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Sure enough, here we are again having to pass another CR because we can't pass funding bills in a regular manner.

There is more than enough time in a year to come to agreement on, and pass, these funding bills.

America's friends and enemies around the world are watching to see if our country can continue to function in a changing world.

We must show them we can. But this effort requires compromise, as it always has.

Republicans must join us for bipartisan, bicameral negotiations to resolve our differences and keep government working for the people.

With a new deadline of February 18th, we need Republicans to join us to resolve our differences and keep government working so America can continue to function and lead.

Thank you and I yield back.