Costa Votes For Budget Agreement

Statement

Congressman Jim Costa (CA-16) released this statement following a vote in the House of Representatives today in favor of passing H.R. 3877, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019:

"This bipartisan agreement avoids another government shutdown -- which should never happen -- and provides certainty to our economy and community," said Costa. "The American people deserve a secure future. This agreement secures funding for programs like Medicare, Social Security, Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and our veterans. That's why I've never voted for a government shutdown. It's irresponsible and it puts our economy and federal workers who provide vital services for Americans at risk."

H.R. 3877 represents a vast improvement over the harmful cuts in the President's 2020 budget, restores certainty to our budgeting and achieves the priorities that Democrats have laid out from the beginning:

Stops automatic budget cuts: Prevents $55 billion cuts in funding for programs, such as Medicare physician reimbursements, unemployment insurance, Section 8 housing vouchers, the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) assistance.
Secures robust funding for critical domestic priorities: Pushes yearly domestic spending $100 billion higher since the President took office. It provides an additional $2.5 billion for a fair, accurate and timely Census, funding for veterans, and historic funding levels for the Child Care Development Block Grant, and new resources to combat the opioid epidemic.
Suspends the debt limit: until July 31, 2021.
Permanently ends the threat of devastating cuts: Prevents funding cuts to defense spending and non-defense spending and replaces years of reckless budgeting.

Source