Mark Warner on Senate passage of continuing resolution

U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) released the following statement after the Senate passed by voice vote a continuing resolution that would keep the government open until Feb. 8, 2019.

“I am glad that cooler heads prevailed to avoid an unnecessary government shutdown. This continuing resolution will ensure that thousands of federal workers across the Commonwealth will continue to receive their paychecks through the holidays, while allowing the White House time to decide whether it truly wants to go all-in on an outdated, ineffective approach to the challenge of improving border security.

“Although I voted in favor of the continuing resolution, I remain disappointed with the short-sighted budgetary dysfunction that leaves federal agencies operating on one stop-gap measure after another, unable to function on any long-term basis. Every time that we wait until the last possible moment to resolve the issue of government funding, we waste time and taxpayer money as agencies are forced to plan for the event of a shutdown.

“With the New Year approaching, the White House and Congress should resolve to stop doing this in 2019.”