Congress avoided a government shutdown Saturday, with a last minute vote on a continuing resolution that keeps funding at current levels until Nov. 17.
The stop-gap measure passed the House by a 335-91 vote with 21 Republicans voting against it. The bill then passed the Senate by a 88-9.
The Alabama congressional delegation was split on supporting the CR, with U.S. Reps. Jerry Carl (R-Mobile), Mike Rogers (R-Saks), Dale Strong (R-Huntsville), and Terri Sewell (D-Birmingham) voting for the bill in the House. U.S. Reps. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise), Gary Palmer (R-Hoover), and Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville) voted against it.
Strong said he decided to support it in order protect national security.
“After seeing the plan to finish our work on the remaining conservative appropriations bills,” Strong said. “I supported extending funding for 45 days to ensure our troops are paid and our national security is protected.”
Sewell also voted for the bill, thanking the House Speaker for working with her party to get it done.
“While I remain frustrated that my Republican colleagues have brought us to the brink of a costly and devastating government shutdown, I am grateful that Speaker McCarthy has finally chosen to work with Democrats at the last minute to extend government funding,” Sewell said. While this measure is not perfect, it avoids deep cuts that House Republicans attempted to push through earlier this week and provides critical disaster relief funding that communities in Alabama depend on.”
(1/2) While I remain frustrated that my Republican colleagues have brought us to the brink of a costly and devastating government shutdown, I am grateful that Speaker McCarthy has finally chosen to work with Democrats at the last minute to extend government funding.
— Rep. Terri A. Sewell (@RepTerriSewell) September 30, 2023
Moore opposed the bill, blaming Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer for creating the situation.
“House conservatives have already passed four appropriations bills that would fund 70 percent of the government, but Senate Majority Leader Schumer refuses to bring them to a vote,” Moore said in a statement. “The last time we followed the law and passed all 12 bills was 26 years ago when our deficit was $22 billion. It’s no coincidence our deficit has ballooned to more than $2 trillion since then. I am prepared to stay in Washington and work with my colleagues across the conference as long as it takes to advance all 12 bills and protect the American people from the status quo of out-of-control spending.”
The last time we followed the law and passed all 12 bills was 26 years ago when our deficit was $22 billion. It's no coincidence our deficit has ballooned to more than $2 trillion since then. I am prepared to stay in Washington and work with my colleagues across the conference as…
— Rep. Barry Moore (@RepBarryMoore) September 30, 2023
U.S. Sens. Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) and Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) voted in favor of the spending package.
Tuberville said he was glad they avoided a government shutdown, but admitted the process needs to be reformed.
“I am glad that the government is not going to shut down,” Tuberville said. “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.”
🧵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.
— Coach Tommy Tuberville (@SenTuberville) October 1, 2023
Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on Twitter @Yaffee
