Saturday, Sept. 30 — Northern Virginia’s U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), whose district contains one of the largest concentrations of federal employees in the U.S. House, issued the following statement today on legislation to fund the government until November 17, 2023:

“I am relieved that Speaker McCarthy folded and finally allowed a bipartisan vote at the eleventh hour on legislation to stop Republicans’ rush to a disastrous shutdown. Had he taken this step sooner it would have spared millions of Americans, including many of my constituents, a great deal of unnecessary fear and uncertainty.

“I want to be clear to our Ukrainian allies: we are unwavering in our support for your defense against the Russian invasion, and we will deliver on that commitment. There are those in Congress who would deny Ukraine the assistance required to win this war, but those of us who stand with our Ukrainian allies vastly outnumber them. We have defeated them before and we will again, to deliver the aid Ukraine needs and deserves.

“The bill we passed today is not a permanent solution on government funding. Assuming it passes the Senate, it will be a short reprieve that ensures the threat of a shutdown will hang over Congress and the nation in the weeks ahead. Speaker McCarthy should stop wasting time appeasing the far right, put the country first, and honor the terms of his bipartisan agreement with the President.”