Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) today issued the following statement regarding the debate over federal funding for fiscal year 2011:

“The only reason a government shutdown is even possible, is because President Obama and congressional Democrats failed in their responsibility to pass a fiscal year 2011 budget.   This budget should have been passed last August, and their failure and lack of leadership is now coming back to haunt us.

“We have been operating under temporary continuing resolutions for the first half of this fiscal year.  The current argument is over a couple of billion dollars when this year’s deficit will be close to $1.5 trillion.  It's time to get serious about the fact that we are bankrupting America.

“I encourage all my colleagues – Democrats and Republicans – to stay focused on the issue: restoring fiscal sanity.

“We need to get past this year's budget, and move onto the more serious discussion of our nation's long-term fiscal health.   Congressman Paul Ryan's just released FY2012 budget begins that serious discussion.  Let's get to work.”

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