Durbin Urges The Senate To Pass The "Minibus" And Fund The Government For The Sake Of The American People

Press Release

"Bipartisan efforts are necessary to get many meaningful things done in Washington. We accept that in the Senate. And right now, the most pressing item requiring a bipartisan effort is passing appropriations bills that finally fund the government for the next fiscal year. Government shutdowns should not be common place in Washington and yet [due to] the other party's leadership, they have been.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Almost exactly one month ago, Congress narrowly avoided a government shutdown by passing a stop-gap bill that funded the government at current levels for 45 days until the middle of November. Forty-five days could have been enough for the two parties in the two chambers to negotiate a plan, a compromise. But a few extreme House Republicans got in the way. Without a Speaker for more than three weeks, the House was unable to take action. The House was rendered useless in helping to create a plan to fund the government. And now, with only 18 days until the government's lights turn off, time is running out.

While the House was paralyzed and unable to govern, here in the Senate, we were diligently working across party lines to negotiate a funding package. For the past week, the Senate has been considering amendments on a package of three funding bills--known as a "minibus'… This minibus will strengthen communities in Illinois and it's being worked on on a bipartisan basis. I'm glad to support its passage and urge my colleagues to do the same."

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