(WHNT) — Members of Alabama’s Congressional Delegation are speaking out after Congress passed a stopgap spending bill Saturday to avert a government shutdown.
The bill, which passed with bipartisan support at a 335-91 margin in the house, would keep the government funded at current levels through Nov. 17 and includes $16 billion in disaster relief as requested by the White House. The measure does not include any Ukraine aid or border policy changes. The bill passed in the Senate on an 88-9 margin Saturday night
Congressman Dale Strong joined the majority of Alabama’s House delegation in voting to approve the stopgap bill. The congressman said he supports the measure because it will allow the House to focus on more detailed funding proposals.
“After seeing the plan to finish our work on the remaining conservative appropriations bills, I supported extending funding for 45 days to ensure our troops are paid and our national security is protected.
Over the next month, we will push through the most conservative appropriations bills in history. These bills, like the four we have passed already, are the best way to cut spending, protect the rights of parents and families, end woke policies in schools and our military, and secure the border.
On Friday, the House of Representatives attempted to pass a funding bill that cut federal discretionary spending by 30%, protected our troops, veterans, and seniors, and included permanent border security measures. Some fringe members of the Republican Party blocked that bill from passing the House.
Passing conservative legislation is the only way to force President Biden to accept conservative priorities. Shutting down the government today will only hurt our cause and America’s national security.”
Rep. Dale Strong
Representative Robert Aderholt on the other hand said he voted no on the resolution due to its lack of funding cuts he feels are important.
“While I do not want the government to shut down, I had to vote against this Continuing Resolution Saturday,” the congressman said. “It does not provide the overall cuts I feel we need and does not address the crisis at our southern border.”
Aderholt was joined in voting against the measure by District 2 Republican Representative Barry Moore and District 6 Congressman Gary J. Palmer.
Other Alabama Republicans Mike Rogers and Jerry Carl, along with Democrat Terri Sewell, voted to approve the stopgap spending bill.
Senator Katie Britt said she was happy to see the two houses come together to pass a spending bill.
“After completely unnecessary political fire drills, ultimately both chambers were able to come together not only to keep the federal government open but reject President Biden’s misguided supplemental request. Now, we will be able to pay our troops, the Border Patrol, and Capitol Police and help our neighbors in Florida and the people of Hawaii recover. We will continue the critical fight for border security while we work to pass responsible appropriations bills through regular order. In the coming weeks, I’ll work with my colleagues to advance spending measures that are judicious, strategic, transparent, and accountable.”
Senator Katie Britt
Senator Tommy Tuberville echoed Britt in his remarks on the bill passing, calling the process a “spectacle.”
“I am glad that the government is not going to shut down. But this is no way to run a government. This entire spectacle up here never should have happened. This Clown Show in Washington needs to learn how to govern. That means passing 12 appropriations bills, which a bipartisan group of Senators on the Appropriations Committee did a long time ago. But Chuck Schumer and the Democrats who run Washington don’t want to do that. We cannot lurch from crisis to crisis anymore. We need to finally get to regular order and govern like adults.
Senator Tommy Tuberville
