Pope Francis Addresses Congress; Democrats Urge Republicans to Act Responsibly to Keep Government Open
MESSAGE FROM THE DEMOCRATIC WHIP
Yesterday, I was honored to attend Pope Francis’ historic address to Congress. His remarks served as an important reminder to Congress of our shared responsibility to promote equality and expand opportunity for all. As a son of an immigrant, just like Pope Francis himself, I was pleased to hear him discuss our moral responsibility to treat immigrants with dignity and compassion. I was also glad to hear His Holiness touch on the need to work together to protect our planet by taking immediate steps to combat climate change. I hope both Republicans and Democrats can work together to address the critical issues Pope Francis discussed so that we may better serve the constituents who elected us.
We can begin by taking action to fund the government before the end of the fiscal year on September 30. The strong majority of Americans, in addition to many Members of the Republican Party, don't want to see another costly government shutdown and think that it is more important to approve a budget agreement than it is to defund Planned Parenthood. With only a few legislative days left to act, Democrats will continue to urge our colleagues across the aisle to work with us to pass a bill to prevent a shutdown and provide us with time to reach a budget agreement to replace sequestration.
Lastly, I join in wishing Speaker Boehner and his family the best as he announced his resignation today and prepares to leave Congress at the end of October. All of us who have served with him during his twenty-five years in the House have appreciated his friendship and his patriotism. You can read my full statement on his resignation here.
Sincerely yours,
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DEMOCRATIC NEWS UPDATE
Hoyer Statement on Pope Francis’ Address to Congress
Hoyer Discusses the Possibility of Another Republican-led Government Shutdown on CNBC's "Squawk Box"
FACT SHEET: Must-Read Quotes About Republicans' Second Shutdown Showdown