Congressman Scott Perry Supports Short Term Continuing Resolution

Press Release

Congressman Scott Perry voted Thursday night in favor of the temporary Continuing Resolution (CR) to ensure that the government remains open through February 16, 2018. Perry initially had reservations about the temporary funding measure.

"As I've repeatedly said, the House of Representatives passed 12 Appropriations bills in September of 2017. We worked together to establish long-term spending priorities for our Nation and wanted to begin debate with the Senate; instead, it's been almost 5 months and the Senate hasn't taken up any of these bills, nor established policies of their own. So we keep lurching from crisis to crisis -- it's wholly unacceptable and completely avoidable," said Perry.

Perry was reticent to support another CR without additional assurances from House Leadership on strengthening defense spending. "We're a Nation at war and have been for 17 years. Our military is depleted and we can't continue to ask our men and women in uniform to risk their lives without the resources they need to get the job done. We've already seen the lasting impacts of Washington's dysfunction: funding for future readiness was cut by more than 70% over the last decade; only 5 of the Army's 58 Brigade Combat Teams stand ready; less than half of the Navy's aircraft can fly due to maintenance and parts issues; and the Air Force is now the smallest it's ever been. We can't continue to run our Country this way and we must put a -long-term spending plan in place," Perry continued.

The House Freedom Caucus struck an 11th-hour deal with House Leadership to ensure a separate, longer-term defense spending bill gets a vote in the coming weeks.

In addition to averting a government shutdown, the CR, which passed the House last night, also provides a 6-year extension of the Child Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for all 50 states, a move Congressman Perry supported in this vote, as well as in a November standalone proposal, the bipartisan Championing Healthy Kids Act of 2017, HR 3922. In September, Congressman Perry joined with the Pennsylvania Congressional Delegation to advocate for renewed funding for this program.

"CHIP's important to the wellbeing of millions of kids Nationwide - especially in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. My hope is that the Senate moves swiftly on this CR and accepts the CHIP component so we can provide some certainty to these families," said Congressman Perry.

Likewise, President Trump has given Congress until March to reach a long-term solution to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA). Congressman Perry supports doing so as long as it's linked to tougher, more robust border security measures to ensure these issues don't keep repeating themselves. Senate Democrats insistence on forcing this issue now - while DACA negotiations are underway -- is nothing more than pure, political posturing.

The Senate is expected to consider the package later today.

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