WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued this statement following today’s 72-26 Senate vote on an interim spending proposal that would prevent a federal government shutdown and support critical funding priorities:

“I welcome the Senate’s efforts to avert a government shutdown on October 1, and expect the House to quickly pass this compromise spending proposal. Subsequently, I expect House Republicans to abide by their promise to advance emergency funding for the residents of Flint, Michigan. This legislation contains essential funding not just to keep the federal government operating – something crucial to the Virginia economy – but also to support critical, and overdue, response to the Zika epidemic, support our military operations in Afghanistan, and take steps to combat the opioid epidemic plaguing communities across the U.S.  Nonetheless, it’s unfortunate that political dysfunction has brought us to the point where we celebrate Congress doing the barest minimum of its obligations. As I’ve long-maintained, this is not a responsible way to conduct our nation’s business. Nor is it appropriate for must-pass legislation to be exploited for political advantage, such as with the inclusion of a prohibition on the SEC adopting important transparency requirements on political contributions.”

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