Washington, D.C. – This afternoon President Trump announced that he agreed to sign a continuing resolution to re-open the Government for three weeks, without funding for his proposed wall on the southern border. The Senate and House of Representatives are expected to take up the bill quickly and the government could be reopened by Monday.
Clean Water Action President and CEO, Bob Wendelgass, released the following statement:
“Our government is almost back to work, which is positive. President Trump and his allies in the Senate came to their senses, at least momentarily, and realized that holding more than 800,000 civil servants hostage to score political points was unacceptable to the public. Unfortunately, the President indicated that this reprieve could be short-lived.
Instead of understanding that his unnecessary and ecologically destructive wall has been rejected by a majority of Americans, he made it clear that he would pull the same stunt in three weeks if he doesn’t get funding for his wall. This toxic precondition could scuttle negotiations before they start, leading to another shutdown. Our families, environment, and economy can’t afford the President’s obstinacy on this issue. We call on the President and Senator McConnell to listen to the public, drop the demand for a wall, and fully fund our government so agencies like EPA can get back to work and stay on the job, protecting our water, air, and communities.”
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Since our founding during the campaign to pass the landmark Clean Water Act in 1972, Clean Water Action has worked to win strong health and environmental protections by bringing issue expertise, solution-oriented thinking and people power to the table. We will protect clean water in the face of attacks from a polluter friendly Administration and Congress.