U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) made the following statement regarding the ongoing government shutdown and three pieces of legislation passed by the House of Representatives today. If passed by the Senate and signed by the President, the measures would provide funding for critical government operations. They are the:
· Research for Lifesaving Cures Act, which funds the National Institutes of Health for critical research and clinical trials;
· Open Our National Parks and Museums Act, which funds National Park Service Operations, the Smithsonian, the National Gallery of Art, and the United States Holocaust Museum; and the
· Provide Local Funding for the District of Columbia Act, which funds local government operations for the District of Columbia.
Statement by Ros-Lehtinen:
"While our focus must remain on getting the entire government up and running, my colleagues in the House and the Senate should be able to agree on these noncontroversial funding measures that help Americans during this crisis. Allowing the National Institutes of Health to continue critical research and clinical trials, opening our national parks and museums, and providing the District with basic operational funds are common sense actions. All three of these measures are contained within the larger appropriations bill which we all agree on and should be an easy lift for a Senate otherwise plagued by inaction."
"I continue to urge my colleagues to come together in an adult, bipartisan manner and get the government going again. Let's use the three bills today as stepping stones to a larger agreement, and put an end to the shutdown that continues to hurt our communities."