**For Immediate Release**

Contact: Emilia.Rowland@mail.house.gov 

Summer Lee Again Votes to Avert Republican Shutdown, Calls R’s Ongoing Refusal to Pass a Bare Minimum Long Term Funding Bill Shameful 

Washington DC – U.S. Congresswoman Summer Lee (PA-12) released the following statement immediately prior to voting ‘YES’ on a clean continuing resolution to fund the government, once again defeating both Republicans’ cruel proposed cuts to lifeline programs and temporarily preventing them from forcing a government shutdown: 

“I will vote YES on a short term funding bill to prevent Republicans from carrying out their scheme to force sickeningly cruel cuts to lifeline programs just about all of my constituents depend on – and to prevent them from shutting down the government, forcing 70,000 PA workers to lose paychecks and 177,000 PA babies and moms to lose access to food and formula – again. 

“While this will keep the federal government open and funded at current levels so we can continue to deliver for Western Pennsylvania workers, seniors, veterans, and children, and left behind communities I came to Congress to serve, our fight to stop Republicans from forcing a shutdown is far from over – again.” 

“We will spend the next month fighting to stop Republicans from evict our families, cut our neighbors off from essential services, bankroll their billionaire donors, attack trans people, and criminalize abortion at the expense of millions of workers, mothers, children, and veterans who would go without paychecks, formula food and shelter if they get their way shutting down the government – again.

“I came to Congress to represent left-behind communities like my own in the Mon Valley – and I will continue to hold the line and defend the most marginalized and vulnerable against Republicans’ attacks. It’s time for Congress to more for working families, not less. No cuts, no layoffs, and no shutdown. Period.”

Under Republicans’ disastrous shutdown:

o    2 million babies, women and children would have lost access to formula and food (WIC) – in 177,335 PA and 10,330 in Allegheny County alone 

o    1.5 million workers across the country, including 70,000 PA workers and 8,000 workers in PA-12 would have lost paychecks 

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Since taking office in January, Lee, who serves on the House Oversight Committee and Space, Science and Technology Committee, has delivered historic levels of federal investment totaling over $870 million brought back to Western PA, including over $200 million for infrastructure, over $50 million for affordable transit, and over $500 million to keep clean energy manufacturing at home in Pennsylvania. These investments will help improve Western Pennsylvania’s infrastructure and transit, ensure cleaner air and drinking water, lower housing costs, fund research institutions, fuel clean manufacturing, fund STEM innovation and entrepreneurship, boost workforce development, and create thousands of good paying union jobs.  Lee and her team have also delivered casework and constituent services to over 1,380 constituents with issues ranging from helping our seniors and disabled community access Medicare and social security to helping folks secure housing and helping families with immigration support and passports.

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