The Republicans, who control the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House and the White House, must not be allowed to shut the government down at the end of the year.  Since the passage of the Budget Control Act in 2011, every budget agreement reached between Republicans and Democrats has maintained parity between defense and non-defense spending.  That must not change.  

While the rich become much richer, many millions of middle class families are struggling to survive.  The Republicans cannot ask for $54 billion more in military spending, and ignore the health care needs of our children and working families in the CHIP and Community Health Center programs.  They cannot ignore millions of older workers who are about to lose the pensions they were promised, younger people burdened with outrageous levels of student debt or veterans unable to get the quality health care they were promised.  They cannot ignore the reality that 800,000 Dreamers will start losing their legal status in a few months and that an opioid epidemic is sweeping the country.  

In short, the Republicans must work in a bi-partisan way to pass a budget which reflects the needs of all Americans, not just wealthy campaign contributors.