WASHINGTON, D.C. — In response to an expected vote in the Senate on a continuing resolution (“CR”) today, Joanne Lin, Executive Director of the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs, issued the following statement:

“A continuing resolution that prohibits D.C. from spending over one billion dollars of its own taxpayer dollars will unnecessarily punish the 700,000 District residents. For school children alone, the CR is a triple threat, undermining their access to transit, food, and learning.

“Mayor Muriel Bowser warned Congress that if the CR passes the District will reduce its remaining funding by 16 percent, slashing public education, housing supports, health care programs, sanitation services and much more.

“With six months left to the current fiscal year, the budget cuts are devastating, such as $358 million from D.C. public schools and charter schools and $28 million from the District’s Department of Human Services, jeopardizing infrastructure and supports dedicated for unhoused and low-income residents. That’s why we joined 112 local and national groups, urging Senators to vote no on cloture and any CR that threatens D.C.’s Autonomy.”

“Senators should support the long-standing tradition of carving out D.C.’s budget from a continuing resolution. Our nation’s capital deserves better.”

The coalition letter to all members of the U.S. Senate is here.