Begich Votes to End Showdown on the Shutdown, Avert Catastrophic Default

Statement

U.S. Sen. Mark Begich today voted to pass a bill to end the nearly two-week-long shutdown of the federal government and end the risk of default. Begich worked with colleagues across party lines to iron out a solution to resume essential federal services, keep America on the path to economic recovery and reduce the nation's deficit by establishing an aggressive process to continue federal spending cuts.

"It was high time for members of Congress to step up to the plate, put aside partisan politics and do the right thing for our country which is why I'm glad the Senate passed a solution tonight. The end result is essentially the same plan we started with and just shows that the government shutdown and threats to the global economy were absolutely unnecessary.

"Today's agreement was a long time coming. But though some members of Congress are more interested in playing politics than keeping our economy strong, bipartisan agreements and compromise can still prevail. I am proud to say Sen. Murkowski and Rep. Young and I are an example of how effective a bipartisan delegation can be when we work together to put Alaskans first.

"I know that many Alaskans are frustrated with the recent government impasse. But now that we've found a way to compromise and reach a solution, I'm determined to work even harder to continue that spirit of bipartisanship so we can make real progress on the issues that matter most to Alaskans like jobs and the economy. I'm also pleased tonight's bill includes responsible budget measures including a provision I have supported many times in the past to make sure members of Congress don't give themselves a pay raise. I look forward to the conference negotiations so we can come together on a budget for this country that has the right balance of smart investments and responsible cuts to balance our budget."

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