As Shutdown Approaches, Cicilline Urges Boehner to Keep House in Session

WASHINGTON – With less than two weeks remaining until the Federal government shuts down, U.S. Congressman David N. Cicilline today urged Speaker John Boehner to keep the U.S. House of Representatives in session until an agreement on funding the government is put in place.

“It makes no sense that Speaker Boehner is planning to convene the House for only five more days before the Federal government shuts down on October 1st,” said Cicilline. “Another unnecessary government shutdown would be harmful to the Rhode Island economy and working families in our state. I strongly urge Speaker Boehner to keep the House in session until it is certain that the Federal government will not shut down.”

Yesterday, Cicilline also joined a letter with nearly 80 of his House colleagues to urge Boehner to keep the House in session. The last time the Federal government shut down – for 16 days in 2013 – it cost the American economy $24 billion and reduced 4th quarter GDP growth by 0.6%; the Small Business Administration was unable to process roughly 700 applications for $140 million in small business loans; and Head Start grantees serving almost 6,300 children were forced to close for as many as nine days.

This year, rank-and-file Congressional Republicans have threatened to oppose any government spending agreement that continues funding for Planned Parenthood – an effort the Los Angeles Times called an “exercise in dysfunction,” and led the Wall Street Journal to conclude, “This plan lacks even a small chance of success.

“We’ve seen this movie before – Congressional Republicans using the threat of a government shutdown to score political points with their base, even if it does real harm to working families,” continued Cicilline. “It’s time Republican leaders to put away the same old political tricks and do what it takes to keep the government open for business.”