Ahead of Funding Deadline, Spanberger Presses House Leadership to Avoid Federal Government Shutdown, Protect Virginia’s Federal Employees

Without Further Action from Congress, Federal Government Funding is Set to Expire on September 30

Congresswoman: “On Behalf of the Virginians I Serve, I Urge You to Take Up and Pass Legislation to Fund The Federal Government as Quickly as Possible”

HENRICO, V.A. — U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger today pressed U.S. House leaders in both parties to avoid a government shutdown in the coming weeks and provide certainty to Virginia’s federal employees and their families. The current federal government funding deadline is September 30, 2022.

In a letter sent to U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and U.S. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Spanberger urged the lawmakers to avoid the gamesmanship that has characterized federal government funding discussions in recent years. Additionally, she emphasized how government shutdowns significantly disrupt the lives of thousands of Virginians.

“On behalf of the Virginians I serve, I urge you to take up and pass legislation to fund the federal government as quickly as possible,” said Spanberger. “As Members of Congress, one of our chief responsibilities is to pass legislation that funds the activities of the federal government — including critical activities necessary for maintaining our national defense, as well as to ensure the timely delivery of government services to the American people.”

Spanberger continued, “While disagreements and robust debate on policy should be expected, the very function of our government should never be used as a political bargaining chip. Americans deserve and demand better, and it is up to us to put aside our differences and deliver in a timely fashion. As such, I urge you to bring forward legislation to fund the federal government for a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives without delay.”

Spanberger has long worked to avoid unnecessary federal government shutdowns and their impacts on Virginia’s economy. For her first bill introduced as a Member of Congress, she led the introduction of legislation that would help prevent future government shutdowns and protect federal workers from being used as negotiating tools in funding talks.

Click here to read the letter, and the full letter text is below.

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Dear Speaker Pelosi and Minority Leader McCarthy,

On behalf of the Virginians I serve, I urge you to take up and pass legislation to fund the federal government as quickly as possible. As Members of Congress, one of our chief responsibilities is to pass legislation that funds the activities of the federal government — including critical activities necessary for maintaining our national defense, as well as to ensure the timely delivery of government services to the American people.

Far too often, Congress relies on half-measures taken in the eleventh hour to temporarily extend government funding — leaving American families, federal agencies, federal employees, and the entire nation uncertain about whether and how our government will be funded into the next fiscal year. This unnecessary, partisan process hurts our standing in the global economy and has real impacts on the Virginians I represent.

According to a 2018 Government Accountability Office study, the combination of stopgap funding measures, the uncertainty created by last-minute spending deals, and multiple government shutdowns has resulted in slowed economic growth, increased costs for federal agencies, delayed hiring, and delays and inefficiencies in federal contracts and grants. These practices also harm Virginia’s federal workers, their families, and all those relying on government services. They should not be forced to deal with this threat to their financial livelihoods – simply due to the inability of Congress to work together.

The American people are tired of bureaucratic delay tactics. They expect their elected officials to do their job. While disagreements and robust debate on policy should be expected, the very function of our government should never be used as a political bargaining chip. Americans deserve and demand better, and it is up to us to put aside our differences and deliver in a timely fashion.

As such, I urge you to bring forward legislation to fund the federal government for a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives without delay.

Thank you for your attention to this serious matter.

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