SW Arkansas Times

Congressman Bruce Westerman (AR-04) expressed his opposition to H.R. 2872, the Further Additional Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, in a statement released today. The bill, which passed in the House, aimed to extend the expiration dates for the appropriations process.

In his statement, Congressman Westerman highlighted the repeated use of continuing resolutions in the past year, stating, "This was the fourth continuing resolution voted on by the House in the past year." He further expressed his disappointment with the rejection of a conservative spending and border security bill in September, which he believed would have addressed the government's funding needs while securing the border.

Concerning the current bill, Congressman Westerman expressed concerns about the extended timeline for approving the 2024 funding. He stated, "Today’s bill to extend the deadline into March means that we will likely be over halfway through the Fiscal Year 2024 before the 2024 funding is approved by Congress." He emphasized the urgency of addressing the budget and funding issues, particularly in light of the ongoing crisis at the border and the financial struggles faced by Americans.

Congressman Westerman proposed two alternative approaches to address the funding situation. The first option would involve passing funding measures or extending the current continuing resolution for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2024, thereby avoiding shutdowns and creating leverage to complete appropriations for the year. The second option would be to shift focus and begin work on the 2025 budget and funding bills.

In his concluding remarks, Congressman Westerman reiterated his commitment to finding conservative solutions to reduce wasteful government spending, secure the border, and support the military. He stated, "I remain committed to working with my colleagues on conservative solutions to cut wasteful government spending, secure the border, and support our men and women in uniform."

The Further Additional Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, against which Congressman Westerman voted, extends the expiration dates for various appropriations bills. These include bills related to agriculture, rural development, food and drug administration, energy and water development, military construction, veterans affairs, transportation, housing and urban development, and more.

As the appropriations process continues, Congressman Westerman's vote against the latest continuing resolution reflects his concerns about the timeline and the need for conservative solutions to address government funding and border security.