Van Hollen Introduces New Bill to Fast-track Budget Negotiations

Statement

Today Maryland Congressman Chris Van Hollen, Ranking Member of the House Budget Committee, introduced the Prevent A December Government Shutdown Act to fast-track budget negotiations to end the sequester and prevent a government shutdown.‎ He was joined by every Democrat on the House Budget Committee, as well as House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Nita Lowey and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro.

"Two years ago, Republicans held the federal government and our entire economy hostage in a futile attempt to undermine the Affordable Care Act. Today, we face a rapidly closing window to negotiate a budget that invests in America's competitiveness before we once again face a shutdown threat," said Congressman Van Hollen. "If Republicans truly want an economy that is creating jobs and working for every American, they must end the attacks on women's health and shutdown threats that have dominated their agenda. We must focus on replacing the damaging sequester with a plan to grow all sectors of our economy and help every American get ahead."

The Prevent A December Government Shutdown Act calls for bipartisan, bicameral negotiations to raise the Budget Control Act's discretionary spending caps and establish appropriate offsets. If the negotiations do not lead to a deal enacted by November 16, the caps for 2016 are automatically raised to the level in the President's budget, eliminating the sequester for non-defense discretionary programs and providing the same amount of sequester relief for defense programs. Under either outcome, appropriations action will be able to proceed, avoiding a government shutdown in December.

Source