Warner, Kaine on government shutdown, Senate vote

U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, a member of the Senate Finance and Budget Committees, and Sen. Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Budget Committees, released the following statement on the federal government shutdown. 

“A year after Donald Trump became President, he and Republican leaders in Congress have delivered the shutdown he’s been calling for. Those who will suffer the most from his actions are federal employees and DoD personnel in Virginia who have already been hurt as we lurch from one budget crisis to the next. We put forward offer after offertonight to prevent a shutdown and keep the government open over the weekend so we could work together to finalize a deal. Republicans rejected every single one. Virginians are counting on us to pass a bill that funds our military, education and health care programs, extends the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and protects Dreamers. We’re still at the table so we can reach that deal, and Republicans should reopen the government immediately and join us.”

On Thursday, Warner and Kaine announced their opposition to another one-month CR because it would needlessly perpetuate budgetary dysfunction and uncertainty for Virginia and the military. They called on Republican leadership to avert a government shutdown and stay in session through the weekend to finalize a deal.