Issue Position: Continuing Resolution to Avoid Government Shutdown

Issue Position

The most recent stopgap spending bill to fund the federal government, known as the Continuing Resolution (CR), was set to expire on March 4th and on March 2nd, Senator Murkowski voted in favor of the two week bill that passed in the Senate by a vote of 91-9. Had the Congress not acted, America would have experienced a forced government shutdown. In an effort to avoid this, Congress passed the two week CR containing $4 billion in spending cuts that will fund the federal government until March 18.

Sen. Murkowski believes that this CR is a short term solution that will hopefully provide Congress the necessary time for critical negotiations over the federal budget. The Senator hopes that in the coming weeks Congress will pass a full year CR that will contain additional spending cuts the House and Senate members agree upon. Lawmakers in Congress are faced with a critically important debate that will ultimately impact every single American for years to come. The debate over spending levels for the rest of the current fiscal year is forcing Congress to take a long hard look at America's expenses and determine the best way to tighten the belt of the national economy.

Sen. Murkowski believes that there must be a focus on both sides of the aisle to make sure we fund the government, cut spending wherever we can, and move forward without hurting our ability to grow and create jobs. Lawmakers in Congress are faced with some difficult decisions in order to put a stop to the nation's growing deficit. Sen. Murkowski will be engaged in the debate in the coming weeks with fellow members, both Republican and Democrat, and believes that a government shutdown would not benefit any American nor Alaskan and can be prevented.

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