Members of Congress vote no on bill to keep government temporarily open

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The U.S. Capitol is seen, Thursday, Dec. 24, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Reps. Barry Moore, Mike Rogers, and Mo Brooks have voted against H.R. 6119, a short-term spending bill extending current government spending levels through February 18, 2022. The bill passed the House and now goes to the Senate for consideration.

Rep. Moore previously opposed continuing resolutions (CRs), arguing that they damage the military’s critical long-term planning ability and fail to address evolving issues addressing the nation. The government is currently being funded by a CR passed by Congress in September.

Moore stated in a press release, “Democrats have been so focused on sticking the American people with their radical tax-and-spend agenda that they have once again neglected to perform the basic role of government. Not only does this spending bill represent another fundamental failure by this Democrat-led Congress to do its job, but it allows the Biden administration’s reckless and dangerous vaccine mandates to be funded. Instead of forcing her radical agenda on America through constant manufactured financial cliff brinksmanship, Speaker Pelosi needs to address the multiple real crises facing American families, like rising crime, increasing inflation, our broken supply chain, and the worsening border fiasco.”

Rep. Rogers released a statement defending his vote against the bill, stating, “Today, I voted against the Continuing Resolution that just kicks the can further down the road. One thing I hear from leaders across all Services is that multiple CRs are actively damaging military readiness. Continuing our current levels of Defense funding until February 18 is inexcusable in the face of threats from China and other enemies, especially after the Biden Administration has proven they are unwilling to fully fund our military. House Democrats chose to spend the past year bickering over their socialist spending spree instead of performing one of our most basic constitutional duties. This CR is another example of Democrats’ inability to govern.”  

Brooks also voted against the bill and believes CRs hurt the military.

“Continuing Resolutions, by their very nature, hurt national security, NASA, and countless private sector contractors and businesses. Temporary funding deprives agencies and contractors of the ability to plan long-term, make sound financial decisions, and hire new employees,” Brooks stated in a press release. “Under a continuing resolution, agencies cannot begin new programs, thus trapping research and development in the past and hindering government agencies’ use of the latest technological innovations. Congress should fund the government through annual appropriations bills that give departments certainty of funding so that they can operate as efficiently as possible.”

H.R. 6119 continues appropriations at current levels until February 18, 2022, with limited exceptions. The legislation also provides $7 billion to assist in the resettlement of Afghan refugees.