EUGENE, Ore. — Rep. Peter DeFazio is in Eugene for the weekend, and he’s looking ahead now that the government shutdown is over.
DeFazio says it’s been a long political stalemate in Washington. But now that the shutdown is over, he’s hoping both sides will be able to hammer out a long-term budget instead of these short-term deals.
“Obviously, I’m very happy to be home. You know, this shutdown of government was irresponsible, disruptive, unnecessary, and expensive,” DeFazio said.
During the shutdown, his office fielded calls from veterans concerned about their benefits, people applying for Social Security, and even a classroom of students who were in D.C. to see all of the closed monuments in Washington.
“They weren’t even allowing tours of the Capitol, so but if they came with me they could get in, so I took them for a tour of the Capitol,” DeFazio said.
Now that the political showdown is over, DeFazio said, “They have finally gone to conference as should have been done months ago, and hopefully these differences will be worked out before Dec. 13 certainly before Jan. 15 when the temporary funding of government runs out yet again.”
Another looming deadline is Feb. 7 when the U.S. could again be in jeopardy of defaulting on its debt.
“It’s time to go back to the old-fashioned ways of working out our differences through the political process as the rules are written in the Constitution of the United States in the Senate and the House,” DeFazio said.
Once back in session next week, DeFazio says he’ll work toward ways to balance the budget, including finding new ways to generate revenue and other programs that could use cuts.
“I’m hopeful the next couple months those who are reasonable and willing to talk come forward,” DeFazio said.
DeFazio says the next item on the agenda will be a bipartisan bill, and it’s debate will start Tuesday.
