WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01) released the following statement after voting in favor of H.R. 6147 Interior, Environment, Financial Services, and General Government Appropriations Act, FY2019:
“As of today, the House is only completed half of the appropriations bills necessary to keep our government running. However, against my persistent calls, the Speaker plans to send the House home for the archaic, August recess. I sent a letter to Speaker Ryan in June that said, if we don’t finish all 12 appropriations bills by July 31, Congress stays in town until we do. The Senate has already committed to staying in Washington an extra three weeks in August, and I urged the Speaker that if we don’t complete these last six appropriations bills then that is what we should do as well. We should clear our schedules and stay in Washington for the month of August to finish the business of the people before the September 30th deadline. As we approach the August recess, I’m prepared to stay in Washington as long as it takes. These issues are too important to delay.”
Rep. Wittman has again introduced the Stay on Schedule Resolution, which amends House rules to prevent members of the House from taking the traditional August recess when critical spending bills remain to be passed. Failure to pass the 12 annual spending bills prevents federal agencies like the Department of Defense, Veterans Affairs, and Transportation from meeting current demands and planning for the future. Given the importance of the spending bills, members of the House should stay in Washington until they are all passed.
Congressman Rob Wittman represents the 1st District of Virginia. He serves on the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Armed Services Committee, where he is the Chairman of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee.
