FreedomWorks Responds to Speaker Boehner’s Continuing Resolution

Washington, DC- Following the closed vote passage of Speaker Boehner’s continuing resolution to keep spending tax dollars without a budget, FreedomWorks Vice President of Public Policy Dean Clancy issued the following response:

“It’s easy to keep spending when you’re using someone else’s credit card. These continuing resolutions are weak, short-term delays to appease the scare tactics of the Democrats. It’s disappointing to see that Republican leadership would rather avoid ruffling the feathers of their friends in Washington than represent the voices of their constituents to defund ObamaCare, demand a budget and get spending under control.”

“We heard a lot of talk about protecting the defense budget on the House floor this morning, but the biggest threat to defense right now is a nation in crippling debt, on the verge of bankruptcy, a weakening dollar, and the threat of a lowered credit rating. The strongest national defense is a strong economy. Why won’t Republican leadership take a stand on that front?”

“Our membership will continue to pressure lawmakers to find long-term spending reforms, delay and dismantle the President’s health care law and start over with real, patient-centered reforms.”

House Leadership forced the continuing resolution to come to the House floor under a “closed rule,” meaning that debate was limited and no amendments were allowed to address the defunding of the President’s health care law. Among the missed opportunities due to this closed-door vote were the amendments prepared by Congressmen Bridenstine (OK-1), Huelskamp (KS-1), and DeSantis (FL-6), which would have removed all funding for ObamaCare implementation from the continuing resolution.

Sixteen bold Republicans in the House stayed true to fiscally conservative principle and voted against the “no amendments” rule today, including:  Justin Amash (MI-3), Mo Brooks (AL-5), Jim Bridenstine (OK-1), Paul Broun (GA-10), John Fleming (LA-4), Phil Gingrey (GA-11), Louie Gohmert (TX-1), Tim Huelskamp (KS-1), Walter Jones (NC-3), Jack Kingston (GA-1), Thomas Massie (KY-4), Tom McClintock (CA-4), Stevan Pearce (NM-2), Dana Rohrabacher (CA-48), Matt Salmon (AZ-5), and Ted Yoho (FL-3).

FreedomWorks counted the rule vote and the continuing resolution vote as KEY VOTES when calculating the FreedomWorks Economic Freedom Scorecard for 2013. The Economic Freedom Scorecard is used to determine eligibility for the FreedomFighter Award, which recognizes members of Congress with voting records that support economic freedom.

FreedomWorks is a service center to a community of over 4 million grassroots activists nationwide who believe in individual liberty and constitutionally-limited government. For more information on FreedomWorks’ position on the continuing resolution, please visit www.FreedomWorks.org or contact Jackie Bodnar at JBodnar@FreedomWorks.org.