Atlanta, GA — On Tuesday night, top appropriators in Congress struck a deal on a government funding framework critical to finalizing a mammoth year-end spending package. Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama, the GOP’s lead negotiator, said, “If all goes well, we should be able to finish an omnibus appropriations package by December 23rd.”  The current Continuing Resolution (CR) funding the government expires on December 16. The House could pass a week-long CR as soon as today to fund the government through December 23 to buy time until the one-year omnibus is ready for a vote.

In response, Tea Party Patriots Action Honorary Chairman Jenny Beth Martin released the following statement:

“It is imperative that Republicans do not concede to the demands of Congressional Democrats in the fight over a government funding bill. Republicans need to hold firm — not for the sake of the party, but for the sake of respecting the voters’ will as expressed in last month’s elections. Congressional Democrats are prepared to throw the will of voters to the wayside so they can ram through their omnibus spending bill that continues their reckless spending spree as they fund the government for an entire year. This would completely undermine the wishes of American citizens, by stripping the duly elected incoming Congress from having a say in next year’s government spending. Republicans should not help them.

“Congressional Democrats are trying to ignore the will of the voters by passing a one-week Continuing Resolution, which would buy them enough time to pass a full-year omnibus spending bill. Republicans should oppose a one-week CR. They should only support a short-term CR of several weeks’ duration, funding the government long enough to allow the new Congress to be seated and act on behalf of their constituents.

“No lame duck Congress has EVER passed an omnibus spending bill to fund the government for the rest of the year. The last time Republicans recaptured the House while Democrats maintained control of the Senate and the White House — which happened in 2010 — that year’s government funding was not finalized until the middle of April of the following year. The government ran on CRs for more than six months!  And here’s the kicker — by holding out to finalize the government funding until the new Republican House could have a say in the matter, non-defense spending was actually reduced by $42 billion compared to the previous year. The government actually saved money!

“We cannot allow a lame duck Congress to tie the hands of the incoming Congress. The choices of the American people must be honored, and Republicans must stand firm on this.”

You can read Jenny Beth’s latest op-ed, Spending Fight in Congress, here.