Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, issued the following statement regarding the compromise budget deal.

“People in Northwest Washington have been asking for Democrats and Republicans to work together. This budget is a product of that collaboration. After too many years of brinkmanship and political games, this budget sets a path forward to get Congress back to work on real issues we need to address. The deal is not perfect, but compromises rarely are.

“I am pleased the budget undoes a large part of the automatic across-the-board spending cuts, known as sequestration. These indiscriminate cuts were always a bad idea, kicking kids out of Head Start in Everett and Skagit County, sending hundreds of thousands of military civilian personnel on unpaid furloughs, and halting life-saving research at hospitals in the Puget Sound.

“The budget takes a balanced approach, cutting spending and increasing revenue to cut the deficit. I have long pursued such an approach because it is the only reasonable and fair way to set a budget and tackle our deficit.

“If Congress passes this budget and then follows through with spending bills by the middle of January, we will avoid the threat of more government shutdowns and fiscal cliffs. Breaking this cycle of shutdown politics will give Congress time to debate other issues that have been put on the backburner. At the top of that list is reforming our broken immigration system in a way that treats people fairly and helps grow our economy. And Congress needs to get serious about investing in our roads, bridges and highways and creating jobs by seeking new markets for American-made products.

“I am disappointed that this budget does not extend unemployment insurance that is due to expire for 25,000 people in Washington state at the end of the month. These benefits are a lifeline that keep people in their homes as they look for jobs. Congress should work on coming to an agreement to extend these benefits early next year.”