CASTRO, HUNDREDS OF REPRESENTATIVES SIGN PETITION TO REOPEN GOVERNMENT

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Joaquin Castro today announced that he signed a petition to reopen the government. This congressional procedure allows a majority of members to force a vote on a bill to fully fund the government.

 

“I’ve spent the past few days calling back some of the hundreds of San Antonians who have written letters, called, and emailed me to share the harsh and personal reality of this government shutdown on their families,” said Rep. Castro. “As their representative in Congress I must do everything possible to ensure that we all have a fully functioning government. A working government is not something that Republicans give Democrats or that Democrats owe Republicans. Assuring that government is open and working is something that everybody that serves in Congress owes to the American people.  This petition is a good-faith effort to re-open our government and gain back the trust of the American people.”

 

The government shutdown is costing taxpayers up to $300 million a day. From stalled small business and home loans to the slowed processing of veterans disability claims to the thousands of workers not getting a full paycheck this week, the government shutdown is hurting families across Texas and the nation.

 

The discharge petition for H. Res. 372 would allow an up or down vote on a clean continuing resolution, providing funding through November 15 at a compromise level requested by Speaker Boehner. This discharge petition only needs a majority of House members—218—to sign on and does not require any action by the Republican leadership.

 

Discharge petitions have been proven successful in the past in bringing up legislation for consideration.  

 

•         According to a Congressional Research Service study, seven discharge petitions have received 218 signatures over the last 30 years. And in all seven cases, the majority party agreed to bring the measure to the House floor.

•         12 measures were allowed to be brought to the House floor even before the discharge petition reached the full 218 signatures. 

 

You can see which Members of Congress have signed onto the discharge petition in real time by visiting the House Clerk’s office here: http://clerk.house.gov/113/lrc/pd/petitions/DisPet0005.xml