Press Releases

Washington, DC—September 22, 2020….Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) released the following statement after joining the House to pass H.R. 8337, a short-term continuing resolution (CR), which will keep the federal government funded through December 11, 2020. Notably included in the final bill was assistance for farmers and ranchers through the Commodity Credit Corporation. These provisions, although important and noncontroversial, were unnecessarily removed at the last-minute by Speaker Pelosi from the initial package, but were then included after hard-fought negotiations by House Republicans:

Congressman Womack said, “The House has taken steps to avoid a costly government shutdown tonight, but this is no way to responsibly run a government. Funding decisions shouldn’t be a constant game of political ping-pong made at the last-minute – and Speaker Pelosi should have never held up this legislation by removing important support for farmers and other agriculture producers. Congress must now work across party lines to deliver full-year appropriations bills. The only way to address our nation’s fiscal challenges is to deliver a budget and complete the appropriations process through regular order.”

Womack has consistently advocated for solutions to fix the broken budget and appropriations process, which has failed the American people for too long. He previously co-chaired the Joint Select Committee on Budget and Appropriations Process Reform and introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to modernize and streamline current processes. Some of the reforms he supports include moving to a biennial budget, ensuring realistic deadlines for Congress to complete its budget and appropriations work, and requiring a joint Budget Committee hearing on the Fiscal State of the Nation.

Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) has represented Arkansas’s Third Congressional District since 2011. He serves as the Ranking Member of the House Committee on the Budget and is a member of the House Appropriations defense and transportation, housing and urban development subcommittees.

womack.house.gov

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