Jan's Plans & Pans - September 13, 2023

After a fantastic district work period filled with constituent meetings and site visits, I am back in Washington, D.C. where we are working to pass federal funding bills by September 30th in order to avoid a government shutdown. But, right now, Congress is at a standstill. House Republicans have reneged on their budget agreement with the White House - the agreement they reached after holding our economy hostage and threatening to default on the debt. And now they want to further slash domestic spending levels and endanger critical services for the American people. Right now, the best option to avert a government shutdown is to pass what is called a continuing resolution, which is a temporary funding measure that Congress can use to fund the federal government for a limited amount of time. Unfortunately, the far-right extremists in the Freedom Caucus said they will oppose any short-term package unless Kevin McCarthy meets their outrageous and unhinged demands. If House Republicans shutdown the government, there will be devastating consequences: critical government services will be interrupted, small businesses will be hurt, and our troops will be forced to serve without pay. We cannot let this happen. The American people are counting on us.

My Democratic colleagues and I are going to continue to focus on delivering for everyday Americans and making a difference in their lives. We are committed to extending government funding and addressing urgent needs across the country, including responding to natural disasters and protecting our national security. I will be sure to keep you posted with the latest updates.