WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette (CO-1) issued the following statement following House passage of an omnibus bill to fund the government through Fiscal Year 2012.  DeGette supported the legislation which passed 296-121.  

“Today we voted to keep the government open, providing the American people with the services on which they depend and preventing federal employees from being furloughed during the holiday season.  This compromise legislation was far from perfect, but I am proud we prevented efforts to roll back clean air safeguards, slash funding for family planning, and eliminate the steps we took to keep Wall St. from playing the types of games that contributed to our current economic challenges.  

“While we are all relieved that this bill was passed, it is extremely disappointing that ideological entrenchments have once again brought us within a handful of hours of shutting down the federal government. Those same political games now leave millions of American families wondering if they will face tax increases in the new year or lose critical benefits that are bridging the gap while they continue to look for work. Throughout this session the leadership has proven incapable of compromise except under the specter of a looming deadline, but the American people deserve better. I hope in the coming hours and days my colleagues will finally stop the intransigence and work together to extend unemployment insurance and the payroll tax cut for the families of our nation.” 

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