Lujan Grisham Votes for Bipartisan Budget Agreement

Statement

WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM-01), a member of the House Budget Committee, released the following statement after voting for the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013, which passed the House by a vote of 332 to 94:

"After years of unacceptable gridlock, Democrats and Republicans in Congress have finally agreed to a budget compromise that alleviates some of sequestration's harmful across-the-board cuts, reduces the threat of another government shutdown and provides certainty in the budget process over the next two years.

"To be sure, this agreement is far from perfect. I have serious concerns with certain aspects. Most notably, it doesn't extend soon-to-expire unemployment insurance for the thousands of long-term unemployed New Mexicans and it forces our state's federal employees to disproportionately shoulder the burden of deficit reduction.

"But despite these shortcomings, I voted for this budget resolution because it moves us away from the gridlock and crisis-to-crisis legislating that does nothing but harm New Mexicans. In addition, it will serve as the foundation for continued bipartisan negotiations that can lead to a budget that more closely reflects my priorities: providing complete relief from the sequester, giving stability to New Mexico working families and businesses, creating jobs and reducing the deficit in a balanced and responsible way."

Source