Yesterday, U.S. Congressman Scott Peters (CA-52) voted against the short-term Continuing Resolution (CR) that will hurt the economy, our national defense, and lead to the delay of thousands of projects and programs nationwide.

Rep. Peters released the following statement:

 “I was willing to vote for the first two stop-gap budgets, but I could not support a third and, yesterday, a fourth extension, for one month, three months after the fiscal year has already started,” said Rep. Peters. “It is past time for Congress to stop funding our government by crisis. Year after year, when Congress fails to pass a budget, we rely on continuing resolutions, instead of providing certainty to our agencies, national security programs, employers, and research institutions. The American people are tired of short-term extensions and are tired of Congress not coming together to fix our nation’s problems.” 

The bill also fails to include a solution for Dreamers. San Diego County has the seventh largest population of DACA-eligible residents in America, with roughly 38,000 San Diegans who are currently eligible or could be in the future. Peters is an original cosponsor of the Uniting and Securing America (USA) Act, which offers a permanent solution for the young immigrants who were brought to the United States as children and would help secure the southern border. The USA Act would allow individuals to qualify for permanent status if they were 18 or younger before December 31, 2013, are able to pass a background check, and have been employed, are in school, or served in the military. The bill would also enhance border security by investing in new technology and authorizing a study to allow Border Patrol to determine mile-by-mile needs along the border.

Rep. Peters continued, “Enough is enough. Republicans, Democrats, and the President himself have said they support providing Dreamers with a solution, and yet, despite a menu of solutions available to them, Speaker Ryan refuses to put even one on the floor for a vote. For too long, the Dreamers of our country have lived in fear and uncertainty. They are our friends, our neighbors, our co-workers, and they are San Diegans working toward the American Dream. America is the only home Dreamers know, and they add to our culture and our economy. Ending DACA without a legislative substitute was an unbelievably cruel and thoughtless act. Time is up – leaving behind our Dreamers is unacceptable, irresponsible, and un-American. Congress must finally take action, work together, and do its job.”