Wittman Votes No on Short-Term CR
Friday, September 8, 2017
WASHINGTON – Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01) today released the following statement after voting "no" on H.R. 601 – the Hurricane Supplemental, Debt Limit, Continuing Appropriations, and Flood Insurance Package:
"Eight years of passing continuing resolutions to fund government is no way to run any enterprise. Just yesterday in a hearing with military leaders on ship collisions in the Pacific, I heard how CRs are consistently causing uncertainty for our armed forces. Our military is unable to properly budget, leading to insufficient training, unmaintained equipment, and decreased readiness. As global threats are increasing, our defense budget stands still. We continue to ask more and more of our men and women in uniform, and we in Congress must do our part to ensure they have the tools they need to be successful.
"I understand the need for emergency assistance, which is why I supported the clean House resolution earlier this week to provide $8 billion in disaster recovery funds which would provide immediate relief for those affected by hurricane Harvey. However, another CR is a short-term solution to a long-term problem and with the bill failing to address important conservative fiscal priorities, it is simply something I could not support. Passing CRs is an abdication of Congress' duties and responsibilities. The House should have stayed in Washington during August, as I requested, to work on legislation to provide a responsible debt ceiling increase and to pass the remaining eight appropriations bills. Going into Fiscal Year 2018 we have a chance to get back to regular order in the budget process. I remain committed to providing a path of fiscal certainty for our armed services."
The bill suspends the debt limit and funds government agencies through December 8, 2017.
"Eight years of passing continuing resolutions to fund government is no way to run any enterprise. Just yesterday in a hearing with military leaders on ship collisions in the Pacific, I heard how CRs are consistently causing uncertainty for our armed forces. Our military is unable to properly budget, leading to insufficient training, unmaintained equipment, and decreased readiness. As global threats are increasing, our defense budget stands still. We continue to ask more and more of our men and women in uniform, and we in Congress must do our part to ensure they have the tools they need to be successful.
"I understand the need for emergency assistance, which is why I supported the clean House resolution earlier this week to provide $8 billion in disaster recovery funds which would provide immediate relief for those affected by hurricane Harvey. However, another CR is a short-term solution to a long-term problem and with the bill failing to address important conservative fiscal priorities, it is simply something I could not support. Passing CRs is an abdication of Congress' duties and responsibilities. The House should have stayed in Washington during August, as I requested, to work on legislation to provide a responsible debt ceiling increase and to pass the remaining eight appropriations bills. Going into Fiscal Year 2018 we have a chance to get back to regular order in the budget process. I remain committed to providing a path of fiscal certainty for our armed services."
The bill suspends the debt limit and funds government agencies through December 8, 2017.