Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies (113th Congress)

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present H.J.Res 59, the Continuing Resolution that will keep the government operating into the next fiscal year.

The base CR is straight-forward – it is clean, it is short-term, and it continues reductions in federal discretionary spending. Most importantly, it will prevent a government shutdown.

The legislation also includes an amendment to the base bill, which adds the text of H.R. 2682, the Defund Obamacare Act of 2013, and the text of H.R. 807, the Full Faith and Credit Act.

H.J.Res. 59 will fund the government for the first 76 days of fiscal year 2014, until December 15, 2013.

It provides $986.3 billion in funding – approximately the same rate as the current, post-sequestration level with some minor adjustments.

Good afternoon, Chairman Sessions, Ranking Member Slaughter, and members of the Rules Committee. I am here before you today to present H.J.Res. 59, the Continuing Resolution that will keep the government operating following September 30, 2013, the end of the current fiscal year.

I'm here before you today to seek an appropriate rule to provide for the timely consideration of this legislation. Time is running out, and the House must take up – and pass – this bill as soon as possible.

This CR is a mechanism to keep the doors of the government open after current appropriations bills expire.

The base of this CR is clean, includes no controversial riders or policy reforms, is short-term, and prevents a catastrophic government shutdown.