By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
On Tuesday, the government began the process of temporarily shutting down non-essential services and functions due to Congresses inability to pass either an actual budget or a continuing resolution which would keep the government funded.
Congressman Robert Aderholt (R) from Haleyville said in a written statement, “Last night, the House voted to formally go to conference committee with the Senate on the latest Continuing Resolution. This conference can provide a venue to discuss our differences, engage in a productive dialogue and negotiate a solution.”
Congresswoman Martha Roby (R) from Montgomery said in a video emailed to constituents, “The House has taken action to keep the government open and to protect the American people from an unworkable law – but the Senate has refused to negotiate.
Rep. Aderholt said, “The House passed a Continuing Resolution to keep the federal government funded and to stop the train wreck that is the President’s unpopular health care law, not once, not twice, but three times and did so with bipartisan support. Unfortunately, the Senate rejected our offers and refused to come to the table to find a solution.”
Rep. Roby said, “I hope this situation doesn’t last long. I never wanted a government shutdown, and I have consistently voted to avoid one. “Late last night we voted to a request conference committee – that’s where Members from both the House and the Senate can come to the table, engage in dialogue, and negotiate a solution. But even as we extended our hands in a spirit of compromise, President Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid refuse to even come to the table to negotiate. When the other side won’t even sit down at the table with you, it makes it difficult to proceed. I remain committed to ending this government shutdown and fighting to protect the American people from ObamaCare. It’s time for the Senate to join us at the negotiating table to achieve fairness for all.”
Congresswoman Roby said, “The House passed legislation that would ensure that military men and women still receive their pay during this government shutdown– that was the right thing to do.
Over the next few days you’ll see the house continue to make sure critical needs of our government are funded. I hope the Senate and the President join us in offering Americans relief.”
In 2010 the Congress narrowly passed the controversial Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, popularly known as Obamacare. The public responded by giving Republicans control of the U.S. House of Representatives in the following election. Rather than allowing the House to reform, repeal, or replace the unpopular legislation, Senate Democrats have not passed a budget that would have given Republicans an opportunity to thwart the unpopular legislation. The government has been funded throughout the Obama administration by a series of Continuing Resolutions (Crs) and trillions have been added to the national debt over this time. Republicans have refused to pass yet another CR unless Democrats agree to post pone the individual manadate that every American must purchase the President’s healthcare insurance policies in 2014 whether they want to or not. The President has already given businesses a postponement of the mandate that they provide their employees with coverage or face tax penalties to be enforced by the IRS.
