Connecticut’s two U.S. senators, who are both Democrats, were among 18 senators who voted against the temporary stopgap measure to reopen the federal government on Monday.
Connecticut’s junior U.S. senator, Chris Murphy, says he and the state’s senior U.S. senator, Richard Blumenthal, voted against the continuing resolution because they don’t think it’s in the best interest of their constituents.
“Senator Blumenthal and I looked at this continuing resolution and decided that it was bad for Connecticut. Another CR, the fourth one, means no new defense contracts for all of our manufacturers. It means no funding for community health centers that might have to close their doors. It means no disaster assistance to help us with the influx of people from Puerto Rico. This is a bad deal.”
The temporary funding bill passed after assurances from Republican leaders that they will soon take up immigration and other contentious issues. Murphy is skeptical.
“I worry that with Republicans and Democrats continuing to vote for these continuing resolutions, it will never end. What’s going to change in three weeks? Won’t there be another shutdown crisis?”
Murphy says he and Blumenthal will continue to push for long-term solutions.
