Congress punts on funding the government, looming 'fiscal cliff'
Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack today again called on the Speaker of the House to deal with the looming "fiscal cliff" in a substantive way instead of kicking it down the road for another six months. Press reports recently stated the Majority Party is planning on bringing up short-term extensions to deal with a range of pending issues instead of working toward compromise with Speaker Boehner stating he's "not confident at all" that Congress can reach a deal. Additionally, Moody's Investor Services announced they will again downgrade the U.S. credit rating if a budget deal cannot be reached.
The House leadership also missed another opportunity today by passing appropriations legislation for the upcoming year that continues current funding for six months rather than addressing any real issues. Congress could have addressed the 2013 budget and responsibly done its job, but instead, faced with 17 days until a government shutdown, once again responded to its work by kicking it down the road and maintaining the status quo.
In a letter to Speaker Boehner, Loebsack wrote, "The American people are tired of Congress not doing the work they were sent here to do, likely why this Congress is the least popular in history. This news comes after the decision to send the House of Representatives on vacation for the month of August a day early without action on critical looming issues like the Bush tax policies, sequestration, the wind energy production credit, the research and development credit, the sustainable growth rate, the biodiesel credit, and expiration of Midwestern Area Disaster Bonds to name a few."
He concluded, "I respectfully urge your attention to moving forward substantive proposals on the "fiscal cliff" and hope I can work in a bipartisan fashion to help move forward common-sense proposals."
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