Lowey Calls on Boehner to Appoint Budget Conferees

Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY), Ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, today called on Speaker Boehner to return Congress to regular order for the 2014 budget and appropriations process by appointing conferees to work with the Senate on a 2014 joint budget resolution:

"The 2013 Appropriations process was completed nearly six months after the beginning of the fiscal year and relied on inadequate and outdated continuing resolutions to fund much of the federal government. We can – and must – do better.

"Democrats and Republicans agree Congress must return to regular order in the budget and appropriations process. Republican leadership should appoint budget conferees immediately to determine overall 2014 discretionary spending levels and make it possible to enact Appropriations bills in a timely and efficient way.

"The Appropriations process will move forward with or without a joint budget resolution, but we only set ourselves up for another year of dysfunction, continuing resolutions, and threats of government shutdown if the House and Senate do not begin their processes from the same place."