Norman D. Dicks: “I just want to make sure that everyone has heard the Statement of Administration Policy that was issued today: ``The…”

“I just want to make sure that everyone has heard the Statement of Administration Policy that was issued today: ``The administration strongly opposes House passage of H.R. 1363, making appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2011, and for other purposes. As the President stated on April 5, 2011, if negotiations are making significant progress, the administration would support a short-term, clean continuing resolution to allow for enactment of a final bill. ``For the past several weeks, the administration has worked diligently and in good faith to find common ground on the shared goal of cutting spending. After giving the Congress more time by signing short-term extensions into law''--which, by the way, many of us voted for--``the President believes that we need to put politics aside and work out our differences for a bill that covers the rest of the fiscal year. This bill is a distraction from the real work that would bring us closer to a reasonable compromise for funding the remainder of fiscal year 2011 and avert a disruptive Federal Government shutdown that would put the Nation's economic recovery in jeopardy. The administration will continue to work with the Congress to arrive at a compromise that will fund the government for the remainder of the fiscal year in a way that does not undermine future growth and job creation and that averts a costly government shutdown.…”