WASHINGTON –U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), ranking member of the Senate Small Business & Entrepreneurship Committee and a member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement after Senate passage of the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2020 that funds the federal government until December 20 and provides full-year funding for the 2020 Decennial Census.

“For the second time in as many months, Congress averted a government shutdown at the last minute. On the upside, we were able to come together to fully fund the fast-approaching Decennial Census. It is frustrating, however, that we continue to lurch from fiscal crisis to fiscal crisis rather than come together on regular spending bills that make clear congressional intent and fully exercise Congress’ Constitutional power of the purse. Continuing Resolutions are no substitute for regular appropriations bills. The failure to find reasonable compromise further strains the ability of our federal agencies to conduct their important missions and the morale of our hard-working federal employees. I continue to urge appropriators to bring to the full Senate all regular bipartisan appropriations bill as soon as possible, consistent with the Bipartisan Budget Agreement enacted by Congress in August, which provides parity for defense and non-defense spending.”

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