Today, U.S. Congressman Scott Peters (CA-52) released the following statement after Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader McConnell, and President Trump reached a deal that reopens the federal government by extending Fiscal Year 2018 funding levels through February 15. The agreement does not include funding for the border wall.

“Ending the government shutdown is exactly what I, and House Democrats, have been suggesting for the last 35 days. I’m relieved federal employees will be paid—including backpay—and that critical government services and agencies will be at full operation. Now, Congress can have a discussion about real border security: effective, fact-based solutions that reflect our American values,” said Rep. Peters.

Rep. Peters detailed what real border security looks like during the Weekly Democratic Address on January 11.

Rep. Peters continued, “We’ve always had the solution: House Republicans could have brought the Senate-passed bill to a vote in December. Instead, they chose to hold the government hostage to Trump’s wasteful wall. We can never allow government funding to lapse again because of a debate over a border wall. I hope we can continue the constructive dialogue that yielded this deal as the House, Senate, and president negotiate funding for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2019. Ideally, we would return to responsible yearly budgeting to give certainty to federal agencies, government workers, and the American people.”

The agreement includes the creation of a conference committee to determine what resources may be needed to bolster the southern border. Rep. Peters voted eleven times to reopen the government before this agreement.