Rep. Graves Supports Bills To Create Bipartisan Working Group, Pay Federal Workers On Time

Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA-14) voted for a bill to create a new bipartisan working group on fiscal issues and ending the partial shutdown, should Senate Democrats agree to negotiate. He also voted for a bill to provide timely pay for federal workers who are still on the job. Rep. Graves issued the following statement ahead of tonight’s expected votes:

“There is no reason for President Obama and Harry Reid to be afraid of negotiations on a fair government funding bill. With Obamacare going so poorly, Democrats should join the conversation about how to protect Americans from being forced to buy such a bad, glitch-filled product. The bipartisan working group would provide Democrats a new opportunity to work with us to reach a reasonable solution.

“The position that the president outlined today is not serious. He says he’ll talk about anything, but only after he gets everything. I’ve never heard of a president setting major preconditions just to talk with another branch of government.”

Tuesday night, the House will vote on the following bills:

H.J. Res. 89, the Federal Worker Pay Fairness Act, pays federal employees who are working during the temporary lapse in appropriations.

H.R. 3273, the Deficit Reduction and Economic Growth Working Group Act, seeks to bring Senate Democrats to the negotiating table by establishing a 20 member bicameral working group on deficit reduction and economic growth to make recommendations to the House and Senate on the debt limit, overall levels of discretionary spending for Fiscal Year 2014, and reforms in mandatory spending programs.