Crapo: Congress Failed To Do Its Job

Washington, DC - Idaho Senator Mike Crapo voted against the Consolidated Appropriations Bill, H.R. 2638, which passed the U.S. Senate on a vote of 78 to 12. Crapo, a member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement regarding his "no" vote:

"Congress has once again failed to fulfill its Constitutional responsibility to fund the federal government. This bill is a stop-gap and isn't a responsible way to fund the critical programs of the government. It was presented as a take-it-or-leave-it proposition, and the American public deserves better than that. We voted this afternoon on a 'must-pass' omnibus bill, with no opportunities for amendment or debate. It is a bill brought up for expediency's sake, and it avoided all the hallmarks of good legislation. It has been rushed through in an effort to avoid debate over the separate appropriations measures, and I cannot support this type of process. While it is imperative that we make certain that the federal government and its programs are properly funded, this is not the way to do that. My 'no' vote demonstrates my concern over how this legislation has been handled and reinforced my belief in having a full and open debate over the measures that come before Congress."