FreedomWorks on Shutdown: “This Entire Situation Could Have Been Avoided”

FreedomWorks Vice President of Legislative Affairs Jason Pye made the following statement following the cloture vote to break a Democratic filibuster on the continuing resolution, H.R. 195, in the Senate:

"This entire situation could have been avoided. In an act of political extortion, Senate Democrats led by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer shut down the federal government over a continuing resolution over an unrelated immigration issue. It’s shameful.

"The House not only did its job in passing a continuing resolution last week but also in passing two bills to fund the government through September 30. The last of those bills was sent to the Senate 120 days ago, and there still has not been any action. This is a fundamental failure of Senate leadership from both parties. Clearly, something has gone awry in the ‘world’s most deliberative body,’ and there needs to be a serious discussion about a change in the way the process works.

"We agree that Congress has a responsibility to move past this cycle of short-term spending bills, but it’s clear that far too many lawmakers want to bust the spending caps yet again, further undermining the Budget Control Act of 2011. Sadly, most in Congress, Republicans and Democrats alike, are ready to standby and drown taxpayers in a river of red ink without making tough choices on spending."