Press Releases

Today, Congressman Billy Long questioned the leadership of the United States Senate in their failure to pass a resolution that would fund the government through fiscal year 2011. Long and other Representatives gathered on the Capitol steps urging Senator Reid to pass a long-term continuing resolution that would prevent a government shutdown. 

“There are those that have already purchased their cheerleading outfits hoping for a government shutdown,” said Long.  “Instead of playing chicken with our country’s future, Senate Democrats need to listen to the American people and get to work passing a bill.”

On Wednesday, Representative Long, joined by other House Republicans, sent a letter to Senator Reid outlining budgetary concerns.  The text of the letter is below:

Mr. Reid,

We the undersigned call on you and the Senate to pass a long-term Continuing Resolution; a resolution that hears the calls of the American people and makes reasonable, responsible spending cuts.

Mr. Reid, your record on spending in the Senate is one of failure. You have failed to pass a budget, failed to restrain spending, and failed to put our country on sound fiscal footing.

We do not accept your failure as our own.

The American people did not send us here to fail. Make no mistake: any government shutdown is the result of your lack of leadership. America has a $14 trillion debt and you offered a mere $6 billion in cuts. The House heard the calls of the American people and offered $61 billion in cuts, but the Senate has not sent us a Continuing Resolution in return.

We have received nothing from the Senate except denials of the dire straits of our nation’s fiscal health.

The House of Representatives is accomplishing what we were elected to do. We’ve cut spending. We’ve terminated wasteful programs. We’ve funded the government.

Mr. Reid, we are letting you know that we will rally on the Senate steps every day until you pass a long-term Continuing Resolution. We call on all Americans to join our fight in restoring our country’s fiscal health.

The House of Representatives is doing our job, Mr. Reid. The Senate needs to start doing theirs.

Mr. Reid, it’s time to pass a bill.

Bound together and determined,

[Signatures]

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