With 750,000 Jobs on the Line, House Republicans Send Congress Home Instead of Averting the Sequester

Washington, DC – Today Maryland Congressman Chris Van Hollen, Ranking Member of the House Budget Committee, issued the following statement on the House Republican decision to send Members home for a nine-day recess instead of keeping the House in session to avert the sequester:

“With 750,000 jobs on the line, House Republicans voted today to send Congress home for a nine-day recess instead of keeping the House in session to avert the sequester. Once again, Speaker Boehner and the House GOP have decided to walk out on the economic interests of the American people.

“House Democrats have proposed a balanced plan to avert these harmful cuts five separate times since the sequester was put in place. House Republicans haven’t offered a single alternative this Congress to replace these indiscriminate, job-killing cuts. Instead of refusing to negotiate, Speaker Boehner should be working day and night to prevent the sequester. We need to stay in Washington until we find an agreement that creates jobs while taking a balanced approach to deficit reduction.”