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WASHINGTON, DC — With hours left before a shutdown, Congressman Paul D. Tonko (NY-20) released a statement following his vote to advance a Continuing Resolution (CR) that would fund the government and keep its doors open until November 17th, 2023.

The 45-day CR comes after weeks of Republican infighting and chaos, where votes to advance a federal budget were continually stifled by far-right Republicans calling for massive, devastating cuts to federal programs, as well as restrictions for abortion access, among other demands.

“Throughout these weeks, my colleagues and I held steadfast in our call to avert this dangerous shutdown and advance a bipartisan agreement that does right by the American people,” Congressman Tonko said. “Thanks to our resolve and subsequent action today, millions of federal employees and service members will remain on payroll, vital federal programs can continue to support the families that rely upon them, and communities won’t have to experience the economic pain of a shutdown. In short, this is a victory for the American people. Following this 11th hour vote, I’m grateful that my Republican colleagues have at last seen reason and voted with us to keep the doors of government open while we work to advance a full FY2024 budget. I urge the Senate to advance this legislation as soon as possible.

Tonko Continued, “While we breathe this sigh of relief that Speaker McCarthy has finally caved and brought this CR to the floor, our work remains incomplete. In these coming weeks as we negotiate a full funding bill, I will continue pushing for legislation that keeps our federal programs whole and meets the needs of our allies and the American people.”