Slaughter Says Agreement to Fund Government Through September is a Bad Deal for New York

Statement

Congresswoman Louise Slaughter (NY-28) today released the following statement after details of a bill meant to fund the government through September was unveiled after weeks of negotiation between House Republicans and the White House.

Of extreme concern, are cuts to programs that would invest in a national high-speed rail infrastructure hurting the needed economic benefit to Upstate New York.

"Late Friday night, Congress was asked to vote on a week-long measure that would avoid the devastating effects of a government shutdown. Understanding the harm a shutdown would have on our nation and Western New York, I voted to keep our government running allowing the federal government to remain in business and time for the entire Congress to look at the deal more closely," said Slaughter. "This victory was not without cost. Now that the full details of the deal between House Republicans and the President have been released, I am greatly concerned at the job loss that will be created by these cuts and by a particular focus to defund high-speed rail nationally. These investments are badly needed and I will not support a deal that ignores, so blatantly, the needs of New York."

While Friday night's vote made cuts to high-speed rail, it maintained funding at the $1 billion mark that Slaughter's Bicameral High-Speed & Intercity Passenger Rail Caucus had requested on Friday, April 1. A copy of the caucus' letter signed by a coalition of 19 Senators and 63 House Members is available here.

The continuing resolution will receive a hearing in the Rules Committee this afternoon.

Source