Lowey Pleased By Legislation Ending Shutdown, Disappointed it Took So Long

After a 16-day shutdown, the United States Senate and House of Representatives both passed legislation late Wednesday that will reopen the federal government and raise the debt limit in time to avoid a default on U.S. debt payments.

The measure passed the Senate by a vote of 81-18 and the House, 285-144. President Barack Obama was expected to sign the legislation Wednesday night.

Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-Rockland/Westchester) said it was time for Congress to get back to work as part of a statement released Wednesday night.

"Fifteen days after the shutdown began, the House has finally passed a reasonable agreement to reopen the government and avoid a disastrous default on our nation's bills," Lowey said. "While this legislation should have been considered weeks ago, I am pleased that Congress has come together to provide our economy the stability it needs."

Video of Lowey's speech prior to the vote can be found here. She pointed out that 198 of the affirmative votes in the House of Representatives came from Democrats and continued to criticize Republicans for their role in the shutdown. 

“It is incredibly disappointing that Republicans have put our economy and American families at such great risk. I want to ask them: was it worth it?" Lowey said. “Eight-hundred thousand federal workers have been furloughed, including many in the Lower Hudson Valley. Families that depend on critical services from disaster aid to nutrition assistance have been left in the cold. And our economy has suffered. 

“We must stop stumbling from crisis to crisis.  We have enough serious challenges to tackle without creating more. No member of Congress should ever again threaten the full faith and credit of the United States or shut down the government to advance a reckless ideological agenda."