Butterfield's Statement on Agreement to Reopen the Government and Avoid Financial Default

Statement

Congressman G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) today released the following statement regarding the passage of a bill to reopen the federal government and avoid financial default:

"For more than two weeks, this nation was held hostage by the political theater of the right-wing faction of Republicans in Congress. This radical minority not only threatened the livelihoods of millions of government employees and their families, but also millions of people across the country. In North Carolina alone, over 1.8 million seniors would not have received their monthly social security check, and 135,000 veterans would not receive their disability compensation had this continued.

"Their extremely reckless behavior even threatened the full faith and credit of the United States and the security of the global economy by once again bringing our nation dangerously close to defaulting for the first time in American history. Republicans' efforts were nothing more than a hollow attempt to score political points at the expense of millions of hardworking Americans.

"However, Speaker Boehner finally capitulated and allowed for the consideration of a bill that passed both chambers of Congress with significant bipartisan support. The agreement that passed tonight immediately reopens the government and provides funding through January 15, 2014. It raises the debt limit through February 7, 2014, and provides back pay to furloughed government employees.

"This bill's passage ends the standoff that brought Washington and the nation to a halt. I sincerely hope Republicans have learned that jeopardizing the prosperity of this nation is both extremely irresponsible and an unacceptable way to govern. Americans and North Carolinians deserve better and will be watching closely when we revisit these issues early next year."

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