Senator Dick Durbin Calls for Full Appropriations Process to Fund Government

Call to Action for Government Funding

• 🗣️ Senator Dick Durbin urges colleagues to end the practice of continuing resolutions (CRs) and engage in a full appropriations process to fund the government.
• ⏰ He emphasizes the immediate need to reopen the government, ideally before the end of the day.

Protecting Families and Health Insurance

• 🩺 Durbin calls for action to protect families facing outrageous increases in health insurance premiums.
• ⚖️ He states that significant changes to the Affordable Care Act require legislative action, which should be part of any agreement.

Supporting Bipartisan Appropriations

• 🤝 The Senator highlights the competence of the bipartisan leaders of the appropriations committee, Susan Collins and Patty Murray, in achieving funding goals.
• 🚫 He advocates for abandoning 'never-ending' CRs in favor of actual appropriations for public service.

Addressing Unpaid Federal Employees

• 😔 Durbin expresses embarrassment over federal employees and contractors not being paid for their work.
• 💸 He calls for an apology and full payment to these individuals as soon as possible.

Preventing Future Shutdowns

• 🚫 Durbin aims to pass legislation ensuring the current situation, the longest shutdown in US history, is the last time Congress uses political resolve at the expense of citizens.