Explanation Regarding Vote Against the Short-Term Continuing Resolution on April 9, 2011

Floor Speech

* Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, at 12:40 a.m. on Saturday, April 9, I voted against the most recent short-term continuing resolution to keep government running for another seven days.

* I was one of 42 Democrats who voted against this short-term extension, which passed 348 to 70. I voted ``no'' in protest of the irresponsible way the Republican leadership has handled these funding negotiations and to register my strong concern about what the next appropriation and budget bills will mean to the American middle class and poor.

* I am on record in support of keeping government running. I voted four time during April 7th and 8th to allow a vote on a clean, straightforward short-term extension of funding at current levels to allow time for negotiation on a final deal for the balance of funding for FY2011. The Republicans would not allow this commonsense approach; instead we finally were given a chance to vote on a resolution that provided a short-term extension with another $2 billion in cuts. This time the cuts came from needed investments in transportation infrastructure and HUD Public Housing. This included cuts for airport facilities, transit programs, and rail projects. These are exactly the wrong kind of cut to make at this time, when we should be investing in infrastructure to help create jobs.

* On Wednesday, April 13, we will be voting on a bill containing $39 billion in cuts to fund the balance of 2011. My priorities are to help the middle class and create jobs. I will be looking at the details on those cuts before making a final decision on how to vote on that bill.

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