One month after voting to keep the federal government open, Congressman Chuck Edwards (NC-11) provided an update on the ongoing funding negotiations in Washington. Edwards and other House Republicans supported a Continuing Resolution (CR) aimed at maintaining pay for military personnel, supporting disaster relief efforts in Western North Carolina, and ensuring that essential services continued without interruption.
According to Edwards, “Since then, Senate Democrats have voted 11 times to shut down the government and have refused to reopen it until their extreme demands are met. Their proposal would add $1.5 trillion in spending, including $200 billion in benefits for illegal immigrants, and it would strip $50 billion in funding from rural hospitals across the nation that would clearly help those in Western North Carolina.”
Edwards further stated that Senate Democrats opposed “$21.5 billion in additional disaster relief funding, aid that is critical to the recovery of communities devastated by Hurricane Helene.” He also said they voted against keeping key agencies operational during ongoing recovery efforts.
He added: “While Republicans continue to lead with fiscal responsibility and common sense, Democrats are choosing politics over people. Families, small businesses, and federal workers across the country are paying the price for Washington’s dysfunction.”
“The House has acted responsibly, and it’s time for Senate Democrats to do the same. Instead of holding the government hostage to push their partisan agenda, Democrats should join Republicans in passing a responsible, bipartisan plan that puts the American people first,” Edwards said.
Chuck Edwards currently serves as U.S. Representative for North Carolina’s 11th district after replacing Madison Cawthorn in 2023. In recent elections, he defeated Jasmine Beach-Ferrara in 2022 and Caleb Rudow in 2024.
