U.S. Rep. Tom Marino said he is hopeful that Tuesday's vote to approve a two-week, short-term spending plan that saves taxpayers more than $4 billion will be a wake-up call to Senate Democrats.
The spending cuts in the bill are consistent with the continuing resolution passed by the House two weeks ago that cuts $60 billion in government spending. The short-term plan passed the House by a 335-91 vote and averts a potential government shutdown. The continuing resolution would fund the federal government through fiscal year 2011.
"We do not want to see a government shutdown," Marino said. "We are pushing for the spending cuts so that we can save this nation and our struggling economy and create jobs for the American people."
Marino, a freshman Republican from Lycoming Township, said it is up to the Senate Democrats to prove they are willing to work with Republicans to cut spending and create a favorable environment for job creation.
"We know why we were sent here and we know what must be done to repair the damage that decades of reckless spending have wrought on our country," Marino said. "We will continue our fight for a more accountable and limited government. The biggest barrier to job creation and economic growth is our national debt which now exceeds $14 trillion.
"If the Senate Democrats do not want to see a government shutdown, they will have to become serious about spending cuts," he said. "Our message to them is loud and clear: We are not going to back down."
Source: http://marino.house.gov/press-release/approval-2-week-plan-has-marino-hopeful
