AFSCME President Lee Saunders praised Democratic congressional leaders for their work getting a spending bill passed that averted a government shutdown.
A government shutdown would cause many parts of the federal government to come to a screeching halt, and its consequences would hurt everyday Americans across the country. A shutdown would also cause many federal workers to be furloughed and disrupt state programs that rely on federal funding.
The vote on the spending bill, which keeps the government funded through Dec. 3, was a vote “to protect jobs and vital services for seniors and vulnerable Americans,” Saunders said in a press release.
“Unlike previous congressional leaders, (House) Speaker Nancy Pelosi and (Senate Majority) Leader Chuck Schumer refused to play politics with people’s jobs and lives,” he said. “Tonight, Americans can breathe a little easier.”
The legislation will give lawmakers time to reach agreement on other top priorities, such as a $1 trillion infrastructure bill and a budget reconciliation package that is at the center of President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better agenda.
Saunders criticized Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell for failing to work on a bipartisan solution to the debt ceiling.
“McConnell has cynically ignored the massive debt caused by the trillion-dollar Trump tax cuts for the rich, all while opposing aid to those who need it most,” he said. “It’s time for him to do what’s right for the country and join Democrats in protecting the full faith and credit of the United States, as both parties have done repeatedly in the past.”