Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, today voted for and the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill to fund the federal government for two years and suspend the debt limit until March 2017. The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 keeps the government working for families in the Pacific Northwest, Larsen said in the following statement about the budget agreement.

“Hardworking families in Northwest Washington deserve a government that supports jobs and opportunity. The House did right by the people today by passing a budget that keeps the government working for the people.

“I am fighting in Congress to make investments that grow our economy and help people participate fully in their communities, issues I hear about from my constituents. That is why I have long pushed to end the damaging, across-the-board spending cuts that have threatened investments that families across Northwest Washington depend on, from Head Start programs in Skagit County to housing for low-income veterans on Whidbey Island to meals for seniors in Snohomish County. The bipartisan budget agreement rolls back harmful sequester cuts and raises investments in defense and domestic priorities equally.

“I am adamant about supporting seniors and vulnerable members of our communities, which is why I am pleased the budget agreement prevents steep Medicare cost increases and provides support to people with disabilities.

“The agreement also prevents our country from defaulting on its debts, because America pays its bills.

“A budget should reflect our country’s value of shared opportunity for all. While this budget is not perfect, it is a compromise that I hope can move Congress beyond manufactured crises and shutdown politics. Hardworking families are depending on Congress to get this done,” Larsen said.

Several national organizations support the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, including AARP, the National Association of County and City Health Officials, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the National Education Association, AFL-CIO and the League of Conservation Voters.

A fact sheet about the budget agreement is available here.

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