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Congress approved a spending plan on Wednesday to avoid a possible government shutdown and fund the government at its current levels through Dec. 20.
The bipartisan vote in the House divided the Republican conference with 82 Republicans voting against the deal. The vote was 341 to 82, with 132 Republicans voting in favor of the spending plan. The deal went on to receive the Senate’s affirmative vote 78-18.
Alabama’s Representatives were divided between the vote 5-2. Representatives Robert Aderholt, Dale Strong, Jerry Carl, Mike Rogers and Terri Sewell voted for the agreement. Representatives Barry Moore and Gary Palmer voted against it.
Representative Sewell said she voted for the agreement to prevent “costly and devastating effects of government shutdown.”
“But make no mistake, the failure of House Republicans to fund the government through the regular appropriations process is leaving many of our federal agencies without adequate funding to serve the American people,” Sewell said.
“For example, this measure would prolong Republicans’ $47.5 million cut to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, hurting the agency’s ability to combat gun violence in our communities,” Sewell said.
From the opposite side of the aisle, Representative Carl expressed his aims to avoid a “disastrous shutdown” as well.
“A shutdown right now would risk the integrity of our upcoming elections and would endanger our national security as multiple global conflicts are happening. Simply put, a government shutdown would make America less safe and secure,” Carl said. “I will continue doing all I can to cut wasteful spending and put America first as we finish this year’s Appropriations process.”
Representative Moore voted in opposition to the agreement because of the excessive spending.
“Today, I voted against a three-month continuing resolution that continues the out-of-control spending of the Biden-Harris Administration and does nothing to secure our border. I refuse to ride shotgun while the Uniparty drives our country off a cliff,” Moore said
Republican Senators Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville both voted no to the continuing resolution once it reached the Senate, both stating they wanted to avoid a large omnibus at the end of the year.
“It is clear that their intention is to try forcing a massive omnibus on the American people right before Christmas. I will not support that plan. It’s past time to restore regular order to appropriations and achieve accountability when it comes to government spending,” Britt said.
The continuing resolution included $230 million in additional funding for the Secret Service following the second assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump. Now, the spending plan awaits President Joe Biden’s signature.
