GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN | Ryan, Portman react to deal

WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan said he’s glad the partial government shutdown is over for now, but criticized the president for initiating it.

“Make no mistake, President Trump could have done this before he shutdown the government, avoiding the pain and heartache we have endured as a country,” said Ryan of Howland, D-13th. “From day one of the new Congress, Democrats have worked to reopen the government. It took President Trump 35 days to finally come to his senses and put people back to work and get them paid. This three week-funding bill is a brief sigh of relief, but we need a long term solution. It’s my hope that Democrats and Republicans can come to the table and work together to address the pressing issues facing our country, while funding our government.”

He added: “I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, a wall across our entire southern boarder will not work. We need to invest in technology, bolster our security at ports of entry, and identify the weak points at the southern border. But we’re not going to make the taxpayers foot the bill for a vanity project the president has endlessly bragged that Mexico would pay for. Ultimately, the conversations must be bipartisan and evidence-based.”

U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, a Cincinnati-area Republican, said: “I support the approach the president has outlined. For the last several weeks, I have worked with both Democrats and Republicans in the Senate along with the administration to reopen the government and address the president’s request for additional border security measures. I’ve had countless discussions with many Democrats in the Senate and I believe there is a commitment to give the President’s request fair consideration. On the Republican side, I know there is a commitment to joining with Democrats to address important issues like DACA and TPS. “

He added: “I’ve said repeatedly throughout this process that government shutdowns are a bad idea. They hurt federal employees and their families, disrupt critical government services and increase the cost to taxpayers. This shutdown confirmed what we already knew about shutdowns. Let’s do something about it now while the pain and inefficiency of this moment is fresh on our minds. In five Congresses I have introduced a responsible solution called the End Government Shutdowns Act that would stop government shutdowns for good, and I will strongly push for its inclusion in any final government funding bill over the next few weeks.”