Schakowsky Statement on Appropriations Agreement Averting Government Shutdown

Statement

"While I am pleased that a shutdown was averted, it is a hard pill to swallow," Schakowsky said. "I am especially disturbed by the failure to include stronger oversight mechanisms in the Homeland Security bill to prevent ICE overreach, significantly decrease the number of detention beds, and block the Administration from moving money around for purposes not authorized by Congress.

"These Trump policies are unacceptable, and I will be watching and working on a new bill with my colleagues to reverse these trends. I remain committed to continuing my oversight efforts to hold this Administration accountable for the mistreatment of immigrants and refugees seeking safety in our great nation, putting an immediate end to the monstrous policy of family separation, and I will not stop until compassionate immigration laws are in place and we start treating our fellow humans with the respect and dignity that they deserve.

"This is not the bill I wanted, nor one I like, but a yes vote was the best of three bad options. Had this bill not passed, we would either have reverted to the previous partisan and mean-spirited Republican budgets of the first two Trump years, or we would face another government shutdown. I could not allow either of those options to come to pass.

"I thank Speaker Pelosi and members of the bipartisan conference committee for reaching an agreement and ensuring our roughly 800,000 federal workers and their families are not affected by another partial government shutdown."

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