13th Congressional District Candidates Split On Vote To Re-open Government

Four Democrats running for Congress in Illinois’ 13th Congressional District have different views on the recent vote to re-open the federal government. 

Last week, several Democrats joined Republicans to approve a continuing resolution to re-open the federal government after a three-day shutdown. Democrats had wanted to tie an extension of DACA protections to the measure, but settled for a promise that Republicans would allow a vote on DACA at a later time.

In a news release, candidate David Gill said he would have voted against re-opening the government. "What is the point of Democrats agreeing to this deal when Paul Ryan has yet to agree to hold a vote on DACA in the House," Gill asked. 

Candidate Jon Ebel agreed with Gill. "I regret the Democratic leadership took the path that they did, but they did so we’ll move forward," Ebel said.

Meanwhile, candidate Erik Jones said that Congress needs to stop these last-minute budget votes and get its work done. He said he would have voted to re-open the government and give negotiations on immigration reform a chance. "That’s what Senator Durbin did, that’s what Senator Duckworth did. As a member of congress I would have supported giving everyone more time to get a deal done," Jones explained.

In a statement, candidate Betsy Dirksen-Londrigan blamed the GOP for the budget impasse. "If Congress were full of more problem solvers and less partisans, it wouldn’t need yet another stop gap funding bill months after the first deadline passed," she said in a statement; however she did not say how she would have voted.