WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) praised final passage of the bipartisan fiscal appropriations bill for fiscal year 2017.

“It took longer than it should have, but Congress found a bipartisan way to work around the White House and finally pass the fiscal year 2017 appropriations. We should have finalized this most basic constitutional function months ago, setting clear priorities for our federal agencies. The American people and our hardworking federal government employees deserve nothing less. This legislation provides needed investments to improve Americans’ daily lives, including critical priorities such as health care, education, and the environment.  Congress wisely rejected numerous dangerous policy riders promoted by fringe ideological groups on issues such as immigration and women’s’ reproductive health, and it roundly rejected many of the cuts President Trump tried to make to important initiatives like the Chesapeake Bay Program.

“I hope that when the president signs this measure into law he reflects on the value of bipartisan cooperation, the role of minority rights in the Senate, and our democratic system of checks and balances and separation of powers. I urge him to stop his reckless talk about a future ‘good shutdown’ of the government. Such a move would be a self-inflicted wound that would only hurt our economy, citizens, and ultimately many critical research and development efforts across the government and private sector. It will be good for the entire country if we can now carry this spirit of bipartisanship into negotiations for the fiscal year 2018 spending bills, which must be enacted before September 30.”