Congresswoman McCollum Urges Democrats and Reasonable Republicans to Work Together to Solve Our Nation’s Problems

Mr. Speaker, this week in Minnesota our state government is shutdown due to a budget crisis. I want to applaud Gov. Mark Dayton for negotiating in good faith, making productive compromises, and never forgetting the needs of Minnesotans, especially our most vulnerable citizens.

The Republicans controlling the Minnesota Legislature issue ultimatums and want to mortgage our state's future by cutting health, education, and law enforcement.

In Congress and Minnesota, Republicans use the same play book. First, create a crisis, put jobs at risk, put the economy in peril, and ignore the needs of middle class families.

And, then fight to protect the interests of millionaires and billionaires.

What we are seeing in Washington, DC and St. Paul is a radical Republican-Tea Party extremism threatening jobs and the economy with destruction in the name of political advantage. It is a dangerous political strategy that needs to end.

Democrats and reasonable Republicans need to work together to solve our nation's problems. The American people and Minnesotans expect that of their elected leaders.