Schakowsky statement on the GOP funding bill

Today, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, a Chief Deputy Whip, released the following statement after voting ‘No’ on the Republican bill to keep the government funded until January 19^th:

“With full control of the Presidency and both houses of Congress, Republicans have put their twisted priorities and inability to govern on full display.

“Back in September, the Children’s Health Insurance Program expired and President Trump announced the end of the DACA program. The health care of 9 million children and the lives of 800,000 passionate young people have been in limbo ever since. Republicans have spent the months since then working tirelessly to take away Americans’ health care and pass a tax bill that benefits only the wealthiest Americans and the largest corporations.

“Today, Republicans were unable and unwilling to pass a robust government funding bill. Instead they kicked the can down the road yet again – only funding the government until January 19^th. A day after passing their $1.5 trillion tax scam, my Republican colleagues pushed a disaster relief bill that fails to address the needs of our fellow citizens in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands and a government funding bill that fails the American people. Their Continuing Resolution cruelly ignores Dreamers and barely scrapes together enough funds to pay for CHIP through March. Because they used funds from the Prevention and Public Health Fund, vaccination and other public health programs will suffer. These bills and this Republican Congress are a disgrace.”