This afternoon Congressman Kurt Schrader voted for a short-term continuing resolution (CR) reducing spending by $4 billion while keeping the federal government open for the next two weeks.

"The American people want Congress to find a real bi-partisan solution to our budget problems," said Schrader. "This resolution does not hurt jobs or risk our economic recovery unlike the Republican's proposal which cuts $100 billion and, according to John McCain's own economic advisor, would have eliminated 700,000 American jobs stopping our recovery dead in its tracks. The $4 billion in cuts from today's resolution represent programs that President Obama has already targeted for reduction or elimination and have received broad bi-partisan support in the past."

The CR allows all government agencies and programs to continue operating at their current spending levels for the next two weeks until March 18, 2011.

The $4 billion is savings are found by eliminating $2.7 billion in earmarks from the 2010 fiscal year for programs and projects and cuts $1.24 billion by terminating 8 programs - all of which President Obama either recommended cut or left unfunded in his 2011 budget request.

"Although the President's Fiscal Commission recommended no major spending cuts until 2013, the American people are calling for meaningful fiscal reforms today," continued Schrader. Over the next two years Congress needs to craft a long-term budget plan that protects our fragile economic recovery while demonstrating to the nation, and the world, that America is serious about fiscal responsibility."

Without the passage of a continuing resolution by Friday March 4th the government would be forced to shut down.