Statements from members of the New Jersey congressional delegation on the passage of the Bipartisan budget deal:
Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-Toms River): “It’s important that Congress came together and passed this bipartisan budget, which will fund the government for the full year and address key priorities for the United States and for South Jersey. This budget fully funds our military, protecting our country and allowing Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst to move forward on planning and construction for the KC-46 refueling tankers. It increases federal funding in our fight for those suffering from the opioid crisis which has devastated South Jersey. I have been working with leaders from both parties, as co-chair of the Bipartisan Heroin Task Force, to ensure our fight against substance abuse is fully funded and I’m grateful our bipartisan advocacy is seeing real results. This deal also includes my bipartisan legislation, the Fairness for Our Hospitals Act. This will allow Deborah Heart and Lung Center in Burlington County to access millions of dollars each year in federal Medicare payments it has been wrongly denied, so it can continue to provide outstanding care to our community, especially the many seniors and veterans it serves. Finally, this bipartisan budget agreement establishes a commission to thoroughly review the congressional budget process, which is clearly broken. It is irresponsible to fund our government a few weeks at a time, which not only weakens our military and our economy, but also makes it difficult to make smart choices about how the government uses taxpayer’s money.
Rep Leonard Lance (R-Clinton): “The responsible vote is to keep the government open. I have always opposed governmental shutdowns. The Bipartisan Budget Act is the product of compromise – neither side got everything it wanted. But many critical priorities I have championed were included in the final product, including disaster relief funds, funding for community health centers and meeting Secretary Mattis’ request for Defense Department funding. The package also repeals Obamacare’s Independent Payment Advisory Board, a panel widely opposed by senior citizen advocacy groups. The legislation also finally secures funding for Medicaid in Puerto Rico, a project I have long advocated for alongside Resident Commissioner González-Colón. Low-cost federal health care will now continue for our fellow Americans in Puerto Rico.”