1. United States
2. Hawaii
3. Letter

The continuing resolution put forth by House Republicans poses grave risks to essential government programs and services. It drastically underfunds crucial non-defense initiatives like FEMA's disaster response, small business support, clean water infrastructure, healthcare grants, and over 70 programs dedicated to assisting children and families. Simultaneously, it hands a blank check increase to defense spending and immigration enforcement. Moreover, this resolution represents an unconstitutional overreach by unilaterally canceling Washington D.C.'s budget and subsuming it as a federal agency. This brazen power grab undermines principles of self-governance and local control. Congress must not allow this violation of constitutional boundaries. Perhaps most alarmingly, the CR fails to address the illegal seizure of government operations by the unelected DOGE agency under Elon Musk. Instead of capitulating to this unlawful usurpation, Congress has a duty to reclaim its constitutional authority over government funding and workforce decisions. Approving this CR without robust guardrails against DOGE's overreach would cement an unacceptable precedent. A clean, short-term continuing resolution is needed to maintain government functions while allowing negotiations for a responsible, lawful long-term solution. Rejecting the current partisan proposal is a necessary first step to upholding Congress's constitutional role as the originator of spending legislation and preventing damaging cuts to vital public services. I urge you to vote no on cloture for this misguided resolution.