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Rep. Swalwell Supports Bipartisan Bill to End Shutdown and Avert Default

October 16, 2013

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representative Eric Swalwell (CA-15) released the following statement after the House voted to reopen the federal government and pay our nation's bills:

"After 16 long days, the federal government will reopen. Federal workers and Lawrence Livermore and Sandia National Laboratories employees in the East Bay can breathe easier knowing their furlough period and this national nightmare is over. It is long past time for Speaker John Boehner to bring a bill to the House Floor to fund the entire government and avert a catastrophic default. It should never have come to this, but I am glad a bipartisan compromise in the Senate finally pressured the Republican Majority to allow the House to do what's right for the American people and economy.

"The Tea Party's efforts to hold our government and national economy hostage in exchange for a policy ransom clearly failed. All it did was hurt and worry the American people, like the 7,500 national lab employees in my congressional district who were about to be furloughed.

"Throughout the shutdown, I met almost every day with the United Solutions Caucus, a group I helped found, of bipartisan freshmen Members of Congress. We engaged in discussions on possible solutions to the crisis. I am proud to have led a statement signed by Members from both parties in this Caucus endorsing the bipartisan Senate deal.

"I implore my colleagues to reject the partisan tactics that just hurt the people who sent us here to represent them. Moving forward, it's critical that we continue to work in a bipartisan fashion to grow the economy, create jobs, and make sure to never inflict suffering like this on innocent Americans again."