Washington – With the deadline of midnight tonight approaching, a so-called government shutdown is virtually certain to occur. In response, Food & Water Watch Managing Director of Policy and Litigation Mitch Jones issued the following statement:

“Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats were right to stand strong against Trump’s dangerous spending proposal, which would allow Trump and his Congressional cronies to unilaterally cut our essential food safety, clean water and fundamental healthcare programs.

“Senate Democrats must continue standing firm and insist that any deal include key protections against egregious cuts to food safety, clean water and basic healthcare programs. This means a ban on future budget rescissions in any spending deal.”

Under rescission, Congressional Republicans could unilaterally claw back funding approved in a bipartisan law with simple House and Senate majorities later on. Republicans utilized this procedural loophole earlier in the year to defund public television and radio, along with other popular programs. In a letter sent to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer this month, more than 200 organizations from around the country demanded that Senate Democrats reject any federal appropriations bill that does not explicitly prohibit the subsequent use of the rescission process.