U.S. Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA), who was among the bipartisan House majority last week who voted to extend federal government funding through Dec 11, remains frustrated with the current political environment that led to the need for the extension.
“My constituents expect Congress to pay our troops, provide for our veterans, keep our national parks open, and fund our federal agencies,” Calvert said. “While I strongly prefer funding our government through a regular appropriations process, Senate Democrats have blocked spending bills from moving forward. The obstruction by Senate Democrats now requires Congress to enact a short-term spending bill to keep the government open. Our troops and our vital federal programs deserve better. Sadly we are learning it takes 60 votes in the Senate to do anything.”
Republicans were able to attach a number of productive legislative items to the Continuing Resolution for FY2016, including authorization for the E-Verify Program as well as funding for the fight against devastating wildfires in Washington State.
The E-Verify program’s authorization would have expired on Thursday.
“Nearly 20 years ago I sponsored the law that established the E-Verify program and I have watched the program grow to become an excellent tool for employers looking to verify the legal status of the workers they hire,” Calvert said. “We must continue to authorize, fund and, hopefully, make E-Verify mandatory for all employers in the United States.”
The extension of the funding included $700 million in emergency funding to fight wildfires in Western states, primarily Washington.
“This summer was the one we had long feared,” U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) said. “Everyone in Eastern Washington felt the devastation of the record-breaking wildfires. We’ve seen unprecedented damage—homes burned, communities evacuated, and both civilians and firefighters tragically killed. The additional resources to fight wildfires keep the people of Eastern Washington safe.”