Statement: Congressman Bill Foster on the Passage of Illinois’ Stop-Gap Budget

"I applaud the Illinois lawmakers who passed a stopgap budget that will fund state operations through the end of the year and ensure schools will open this fall. The year-long budget impasse has taken a toll on our state and has adversely affected health and social services. It placed our educational infrastructure in unnecessary jeopardy and failed to provide adequate funding to drug treatment programs. I commend those who came together to pass this deal. But this is no way to run the state of Illinois. I urge Governor Rauner and lawmakers to continue to work towards making sure Illinois has a working budget beyond 2016, so we can avoid more damaging gridlock in our state."