On the recordSeptember 30, 2015
It looks like Congress will narrowly avoid another costly and unnecessary shutdown. That is the good news. The bad news is that Congress will have the same fight again just before the holidays start. Why does this place keep playing the same dysfunctional record over and over? In my region, the last shutdown cost furloughs at our military installations; Olympic National Park closed its doors, hurting local employers; tribes and social service providers and others faced painful disruptions of funding. I don't want to see that happen again. This place is spending a lot of time and energy obsessing about who the next Speaker will be. That is one job. We should be more concerned about the thousands of jobs we need to grow and keep not just in my region, but all around this country. Congress needs to end the grandstanding and sit down at the table. Let's hammer out a budget agreement that finally ends the across-the- board sequestration cuts and focuses on this Nation's economy and its long-term growth. ____________________
