Local Congressmen Break with House GOP, Support Funding Government

Written by Brittany Tressler

Three area Congressmen are the only Republicans from Pennsylvania to break with their party and call for legislation to keep the federal government funded without provisions to scale back the Affordable Health Care Act, also known as Obamacare.

Currently, Republicans refuse to pass a budget until the sweeping health care law is scaled back.

Representative Charlie Dent (R-15) was the first Pennsylvania Congressman to break from the House GOP by voting against the Republican budget bills.

“I oppose shutting down the government,” Dent said in a statement Saturday. “I am also deeply concerned  about the impending implementation of the Health Care Law –  Obamacare.

“Like most Americans, I wish to end the current stalemate so Congress can get on with other important work that the American People expect.”

On Tuesday, Rep. Pat Meehan (R-07) announced that the U.S. House should pass a short-term funding bill.

“I came to DC to fix gov't, not shut it down,” said Meehan on Twitter. “It’s time for House to vote for a clean, short-term funding bill to bring Senate to the table”

Wednesday, Rep. Jim Gerlach (R-06) said his constituents don’t want the federal government shut down.

According to Gerlach, 52 percent of constituents who contacted his office support continued funding of government operations, including Obamacare; 39 percent support shutting down government “if the continuing resolution does not defund or delay Obamacare.”

Since Tuesday, Gerlach said, 89 percent of constituents who contacted the office registered a strong opposition to the federal shutdown; 10 percent of messages were in favor of the shutdown.