Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson Statement on Republican Efforts to Cause Economic Shutdown

Statement

Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24) issued the following statement on Congress's debate over the 2014 Continuing Resolution and the possibility of a Government Shutdown:

"While Members of Congress are required to take difficult votes on a variety of issues, there's one vote that should be simple--passing a budget to keep the government running. Yet Republicans refuse to agree to even the most fiscally-conservative budget in years unless it's accompanied by extreme and unrelated measures that will sabotage the nation's healthcare.

"Obamacare is law of the land because of the democratic process. A majority of the House and Senate voted for the Affordable Care Act, the President signed it, and the Supreme Court upheld it. Republicans would be welcome to undo the law if they could repeal it through the same process. But instead they're trying to repeal it by holding the US economy hostage.

"This is not a government shutdown. It's an economic shutdown. Failure to pass a Continuing Resolution means 800,000 federal workers--many of whom live paycheck to paycheck--will be home from work, not knowing when they will be paid again. It means pregnant women will go without health and nutrition assistance. Its means veterans will go without the services and payments they've earned. It means homebuyers and small businesses will be unable to receive loans. This economic shutdown would double-down on the pain caused by the Sequester--making cuts to education, police, firefighters, hospitals and health clinics even worse.

"We're talking about real people's lives. The Senate passed a clean budget to stop these cruel games. It's time for the House to do the same."

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