Washington, DC- Republican Congressman and U.S. Senate Candidate Jim Renacci spoke out Saturday on the impasse in Washington that has led to a government shutdown.
Congressman Renacci, who represents Ohio's 16th Congressional District and recently announced he is running for the U.S. Senate seat held by Democrat Sherrod Brown, puts the blame on the Democrats and New York Senator Chuck Schumer.
The continuing resolution that would have kept the government funded past 12:00 midnight Friday night needed 60 votes in the Senate to pass.
The measure had already passed the U.S. House.But the Democrats in the Senate are pushing for a bipartisan agreement to preserve protections for "Dreamers"---people brought to the U.S. illegally as children.
Congressman Renacci says Congress has until March to "fix" DACA, and that it should not have been a reason to stall a spending measure.
Congressman Renacci says the difference between this government shutdown and those in the past is that the impasse is over policy, not spending.
Renacci says he opposes continuing resolutions as a general principle, saying it's like giving a blank check to the president, "which is something we shouldn't do, no matter who is President."
However, he says government shutdowns cost the taxpayers money, and he says he and his fellow Republicans want to get the government up and running as soon as possible.
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