(Washington) - Today, Congressman John B. Larson joined colleagues in signing a petition to bring legislation to the floor that would reopen the federal government. The shutdown began on October 1st after attempts to vote on a bill to fund the government were blocked by House Republican leadership in a failed effort to defund the Affordable Care Act.
"Today, Republican leadership refused to let us do our job and reopen the federal government. Their actions have now allowed the shutdown to continue despite the impact it is having on our veterans, students, youth and thousands of federal employees and their families," said Larson. "That's why I signed today's discharge petition to open the government now. In Connecticut people are sick and tired of Members' inability to sit down and work together. At a forum in Wethersfield last weekend, residents wanted a path forward for our nation, not politics. House Republican Leadership must stop the economic uncertainty they have caused by ending this shutdown and passing a clean debt ceiling increase."
A successful discharge petition would bring a clean continuing resolution to fund the federal government through November 15 to the House floor for an up or down vote. This discharge petition only needs a majority of House members to sign on and does not require any action by the Republican leadership. Discharge petitions have been proven successful in the past in bringing up legislation for consideration.
According to a Congressional Research Service study, seven discharge petitions have received 218 signatures over the last 30 years. And in all seven cases, the majority party agreed to bring the measure to the House floor. 12 measures were allowed to be brought to the House floor even before the discharge petition reached the full 218 signatures. A full list of Members who have signed the petition can be viewed at http://clerk.house.gov/113/lrc/pd/petitions/DisPet0005.xml.
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