WASHINGTON – North Dakota’s congressional delegation responded Saturday to the House and Senate votes to pass a 45-day funding bill to avoid a government shutdown. The continuing resolution extends current government funding levels until Nov. 17 while Congress continues to work on a budget agreement.

“A CR was always going to be needed to avoid a government shutdown and allow House Republicans time to pass our conservative appropriations bills,” Congressman Kelly Armstrong said. “I have been negotiating for three weeks to secure the most conservative CR that could pass. Yesterday we put a bill on the floor that slashed spending, secured the border, paid our servicemembers, and funded the government for 30 days. Unfortunately, a small group of Republicans killed that conservative CR. Because of that, today’s CR was the only play to make sure that we did not get rolled by Chuck Schumer. We now have 45 days to pass our bills, demand action on the border and address our fiscal crisis. A government shutdown would weaken our position, hurt our men and women in uniform, and destroy our chance at border security. We have to be serious about doing the work of the American people.”

“This short-term continuing resolution will keep government open,” Sen. John Hoeven said. “At the same time, we’re working to get back to regular order, where we pass appropriations bills through the committee and debate them on the floor. We need to get back to regular order so we can fund the priorities of the American people, while also finding savings to get control of our debt and deficit.”

“While I am grateful the Senate swiftly voted to pass a clean government funding bill, our work is not over,” Sen. Kevin Cramer said. “We have 45 days to get our act together to avoid even more political games. The American people are rightly frustrated by unnecessary drama from the threat of a government shutdown. These lapses are dysfunction at its worst, and they have real impacts on thousands of North Dakotans, not to mention our troops and border agents. Moving bills through regular order where members can amend, reform, and cut wasteful programs is the way to responsibly do the job voters entrusted us to do; political brinksmanship is not.”