Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates William J. Howell (R-Stafford) released the following statement on the end of the government shutdown: "I am very pleased to see that leaders in Washington have come to an agreement that ends the government shutdown. This is a solution to a problem that should have never existed. For the last three weeks, we have seen the worst of Washington-style politics on display. Problem solving took a back seat to partisan bickering. Cable news shows became more important than solutions.
"And while this deal does address the government shut down and the debt ceiling, it does not come anywhere close to tackling our long-term fiscal and economic challenges. Our nation is nearly $17 trillion in debt. Congressional leaders and the President haven't agreed on a real budget in years. Millions of Americans are still out of work. If we are going to solve these problems, Washington must do business differently.
"The contrast between Washington and Richmond could not be clearer. In Virginia, we've found that cutting back on the rhetoric and working together leads to better results. This is the Virginia way.
"Virginia has produced four-straight budget surpluses totaling $2 billion. Our rainy-day fund is on track to exceed $1 billion. This year we passed a comprehensive transportation reform bill that will reduce congestion and create jobs across the Commonwealth.
"I encourage our leaders in Washington, both Republicans and Democrats, to find a new approach to governing that focuses on results, not politics."