Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Senator Susan Collins today issued this statement urging congressional leaders and the President to agree to at least a stopgap funding measure to avoid a government shutdown:

"What is abundantly clear is that the American people do not want dysfunction in Washington to lead to another government shutdown. A shutdown will only further damage our struggling economy and reverse an already slow climb out of recession.

"I voted against Obamacare and have repeatedly voted to repeal, reform, and replace it, but I disagree with the strategy of linking Obamacare with the continuing functioning of government-a strategy that cannot possibly work. Instead, I urge the President and congressional leaders to sit down immediately and negotiate at least a stopgap funding measure to avoid a disruption in many vital programs on which our citizens rely. I also call on the President to resume the budget discussions he had been having with those of us attempting to forge a long-term fiscal plan to address our unsustainable $17 trillion debt without resorting to constant brinkmanship and the threat of a government shutdown."