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Rep. Thompson Statement on Reopening of the Government

January 22, 2018

Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Mike Thompson (CA-05) issued the following statement:

"I'm pleased to see the government has been reopened, but I am disappointed that the bill considered today only funds the government through the next 17 days. This stopgap style of governing Republicans have practiced since the beginning of the Fiscal Year in October is unsustainable and does not allow our government to plan and execute our long-term priorities, like infrastructure projects and military readiness. And other urgent issues remain unaddressed in this bill: permanent funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program and for Community Health Centers, funding for Type 1 diabetes research, and a permanent solution for DACA recipients.

"And the fact is, this shutdown should have never happened. Republicans control the White House, and both houses of Congress—every step of the legislative process. They should have introduced legislation that could have passed Congress and would have avoided this shutdown in the first place.

"Republicans must now begin working in a bipartisan fashion to develop a responsible, long-term budget and end the chaos of the month-to-month funding of our government. They must also keep their promise to take up legislation that will permanently protect the 800,000 DACA recipients who face the threat of deportation from the only country they've ever known."