PULLMAN, Wash. – President Elson S. Floyd issued the following statement about Tuesday’s federal budget agreement.
After weeks of hard work and negotiation, it appears that a federal budget agreement has been reached and will go before both the House and Senate for a vote by the end of the week.
Sincere thanks and appreciation are extended to Washington’s Sen. Patty Murray, chair of the Senate Budget Committee, who worked across the aisle with Rep. Paul Ryan to craft the proposed agreement, and to Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, who serves as chair of the House Republican Conference.
Our nation will benefit from their efforts to reach agreement on a budget proposal.
If approved, this budget compromise will soften the devastating impacts of a second round of full sequestration cuts. It also will provide some certainty and stability in federal funding. Congress must now work together to provide the funding bills under the guidelines of this budget agreement by Jan. 15, or federal funding runs out again.
Those two factors alone will allow scientists at our nation’s research universities to maintain critical research funded through agencies such as the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.
Washington State University will be able to continue our work through Small Business Development Centers to help entrepreneurs succeed in communities that most need economic development. We will be able to preserve programs such as the Clean Plant Network and specialty crop research so vital to Washington’s agriculture economy.
It is my fervent hope that every member of Congress will support the proposal and work together to support a funding package by Jan. 15 to keep the government running.