AUGUSTA, Maine - As congressional leaders try to wrap up a spending bill to keep the federal government operating until Dec. 9, Maine 1st District Rep. Chellie Pingree says lawmakers should be working on passing a budget for the year by the Oct. 1 deadline.
“There is no question that Congress should be doing its job and it is not," says Pingree, who serves on the House Appropriations Committee. "This is one of the most do-nothing Congresses that we have had, of all the do-nothing Congresses. We are in session for about 90 days. We already took six weeks off.”
Pingree, a Democrat, says the Appropriations Committee could reach agreement on a budget if House Republican leaders had made that a priority. She says the attempt to get a continuing resolution passed by the weekend is aimed at providing more time for campaigning. She says Congress should instead do its job and work out a budget.
