On Tuesday, January 15, 2019, House Republicans rejected legislation to end the shutdown and fund the Government until Friday, February 1. [This] would [have] give the President and Congressional leaders time to find a compromise on border security, without holding unrelated Federal agencies hostage. This is the seventh piece of legislation House Democrats have brought forth, to immediately open the Government and end this shutdown for the 800,000 Americans who have either been furloughed or are working without pay.
“This shutdown might be a stubborn ‘game of chicken’ for the White House,” stated Congresswoman Cheri Bustos, “but hardworking families across our Region know that this is no way to govern.”
“Just this month, I have voted for seven different funding bills to keep Americans safe, end the shutdown, and reopen our Government. But despite previously having broad bipartisan support, Mitch McConnell and the White House are holding these bills hostage, just to score political points,” Congresswoman Bustos said. “People in Illinois are hurting because of the shutdown. Farmers are facing more uncertainty without the trade assistance they were promised, and too many Illinoisans aren’t getting their paychecks in the mail.”
“[Last] weekend, I spoke with a TSA agent who has no other choice but to dip into her wedding savings, to make ends meet. She deserves better than this. And by prolonging this shutdown and rejecting bill-after-bill to fund our Government, the President is making us less safe, by not paying our border patrol and TSA agents. We must put the shutdown to an end!”
Since the 116th Congress was sworn in, Congresswoman Bustos has voted to open the Government and fund key agencies seven times:
January 15 – voted to end the shutdown and fund the Government through February 1
January 11 – helped pass legislation to fund the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Interior
January 10 – helped pass legislation to fund the Department of Transportation, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and other key agencies
January 10 – helped pass legislation to fund the Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration
January 9 – helped pass legislation to fund the Department of Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service
January 3 – helped pass legislation to fund the Department of Homeland Security through February 8, giving the President and Congressional leadership time to negotiate a compromise on border security while reopening our Government
January 3 – helped pass a package of six appropriations bills that have all previously either passed the Senate with unanimous or overwhelming bipartisan support.