U.S. Sens. John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer, both R-ND, issued statements following the Senate advancing a continuing resolution to avoid a government shutdown.

“The reason we need a CR is because Senator Schumer refused to bring any of the individual appropriations bills, which were approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee, to the floor during the last Congress,” Hoeven said. “This continuing resolution has already passed the House and has strong support from the President. Importantly this legislation reduces spending to get after the debt and deficit, while increasing support for our military. Now with the Republicans in control of the Senate, we’ll work to get back to regular order to pass the individual appropriations bills through the committee and bring them to the floor to get control of our fiscal house.”

“Despite Democrats fanning the flames of a government shutdown, both chambers worked with President Trump to pass this funding bill,” Cramer said. “This legislation makes the best of a bad situation by providing a much-needed boost to our defense and homeland security accounts and a substantial pay raise for junior enlisted troops. This is not the way to piece together a budget. Despite the Appropriations Committee passing nearly every full-year funding bill last July, Senator Schumer sat on them, leading to a logjam halfway through the fiscal year.”