Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, issued the following statement on day five of the federal government shutdown. The House of Representatives today voted to provide retroactive pay to furloughed federal employees after the shutdown ends.

“We’re in day five of a reckless government shutdown that the House of Representatives has the power to end with a single vote,” Larsen said. “The Senate has voted three times to fund the government. House Republican leadership has refused to let us vote on a clean bill to reopen the government, even though a majority of the House has said they would vote for it.

“Congress told 800,000 federal employees that they could not come to work because Republicans would not drop their ideological attacks on the Affordable Care Act. Federal workers do not deserve to be punished further because of House Republican intransigence. I’m pleased the House voted today to extend retroactive pay to these public servants.

“Federal employees deserve their back pay, but they also deserve to be allowed to report to work on Monday. People in Northwest Washington deserve their full government back open and serving them.

“The House would end this shutdown in an hour if Republican leadership would let us vote on a clean budget bill.”