GOP Misses Budget Conference Deadline, Opts for Secret Negotiations Instead of Bipartisan Compromise

Statement

Today Maryland Congressman Chris Van Hollen, Ranking Member of the House Budget Committee, issued the following statement on Republicans missing the statutory deadline to pass a Budget Conference Report, opting for secret negotiations instead of bipartisan compromise:

"When Republicans ushered in this new Congress, the American people were promised a government that works. Yet here we are at the deadline required under the law for a Budget Conference Committee Report to have been passed by Congress -- and all we have to show for it is closed negotiations between House and Senate Republicans. On the 100th day of the Republican controlled Congress, we're once again left with secrecy and dysfunction.

"Unfortunately, what we know about the Republican budgets doesn't leave us much hope for bipartisan compromise. Both the House budget and the Senate budget are wrong for the country and say to Americans that they must work harder but take home less. The mid-point between the two -- or any point between them -- is also wrong for America.

"House Democrats will continue to fight for the principles laid out in our alternative: economic growth with broadly shared prosperity and an investment in our nation's future success. We know families are working harder than ever, but many feel like they're stuck in place or falling behind. We have a budget to help them. But the budgets offered by Washington Republicans are only interested in helping the very wealthy, at the expense of everyone else. We don't expect anything different out of a Republican-controlled Conference Committee."

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