Golden votes to extend government funding through December 11

WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) voted today in favor of a Continuing Resolution (CR) to keep the government funded until December 11, preventing the risk of a government shutdown on October 1. 

The CR maintains current government funding levels until December 11, with limited policy changes. The bill passed the House of Representatives in a bipartisan 370-48 vote. It previously passed the Senate in a vote of 90-6 and now goes to President Donald Trump for his signature. 

“As the November elections come into view, and we remain without a funding deal, the risk of political gamesmanship is high,” Golden said. “This resolution will remove the incentive for either party to hold the government hostage in an attempt to score political points — and give Congress the time needed to negotiate a sound appropriations deal.”

Golden has consistently voted to avoid government shutdowns because of the harm they cause, often to those less fortunate. This past winter, a lapse in appropriations triggered the longest shutdown in the nation’s history. As a result, food assistance benefits for needy families were disrupted, core public health and food safety programs were paused, millions of federal workers missed paychecks and travelers experienced long delays. 

In Maine alone, a government shutdown would affect the more than 11,000 federal employees and could force Acadia National Park to close. Additionally, a shutdown would likely impact the 169,000 Mainers who rely on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to put food on the table and the more than 45,000 Maine households that depend on Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEP) to heat their homes.

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