Senate President Pro Tempore David B. McBride's statement on continuing state government operations for 72 hours

DOVER - Senate President Pro Tempore David B. McBride issued the following statement after the passage of legislation continuing state government operations at FY 2017 levels for the next 72 hours:

"While I believe we have a constitutional responsibility to pass a balanced budget, I also believe we have a moral responsibility to ensure that the budget we pass is fair and just for the people of our state. It became clear to me and other members of leadership that despite the progress made today, we were not yet in a position to deliver on our promise of a fair budget at this late hour. The budget, in its current form, is not something we can pass in this General Assembly. And nor should we, particularly when the state’s fiscal calendar gives us a handful of days to continue working to get a better deal for Delawareans without inflicting immediate pain on our residents, non-profit community, or our state employees. We know time is of the essence, and that’s why we are coming back here tomorrow to keep pushing forward."