Two of New Jersey's U.S. House members opposed a temporary spending bill to keep the federal government running into December.
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Reps. Scott Garrett and Chris Smith were the only New Jersey House members to vote no as Congress cleared legislation Wednesday to fund the federal government through Dec. 11.
The action by the Senate and House came just hours before a partial government shutdown would have occurred on Thursday, the start of the new fiscal year. The other four New Jersey House Republicans voted yes, as did all six House Democrats.
Garrett and Smith joined a majority of their Republican colleagues in voting against legislation to keep the government open. It passed, 277-151, with 184 House Democrats and 91 Republicans voting aye, and 151 Republicans voting no. President Obama signed the bill later Wednesday.
Prior to the vote, all six GOP House members backed a separate resolution ending federal funding for Planned Parenthood, the latest action by House Republicans to cut off support for the women's health provider. That measure was approved, 214-185 mostly along party lines, but does not have enough support to pass the Senate.
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Garrett is a founder of the conservative Freedom Caucus, whose members said they would not vote for any spending bill that included federal funds for Planned Parenthood. He did not mention that issue in a statement explaining his opposition to the temporary spending bill, known as a continuing resolution.
"'Continuing resolution' is Washington, D.C., language for bloated spending bill full of the same failed policies, blown budgets, and extraneous expenses that are burying our children and grandchildren in mountains of debt," Garrett (R-5th Dist.) said in a statement. "Hardworking New Jersey families are sick of business as usual in Washington, and I refuse to vote for more government spending while our national debt is quickly approaching $20 trillion and crippling economic recovery."
Smith spokesman Jeff Sagnip did not respond to requests for comment. He is one of Congress' most outspoken opponents of abortion.
The shutdown fight could resume in December unless a longer-term spending bill is negotiated.
U.S. Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-3rd Dist.), who earlier called on the House GOP leadership to pass a spending bill and not shut down the government, praised its approval.
"I am pleased cooler heads have prevailed and we have avoided a dangerous and harmful government shutdown," MacArthur said. "We must live up to our commitment to the American people and avoid costly mistakes of the past to keep the economy moving forward."
U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. (D-9th Dist.) called on Congress to "come together and do what's right by the American people by passing a long-term spending measure that invests in our nation and continues to strengthen our economy."
The earlier vote was the second time in two days that House Republicans sought to end taxpayer support for Planned Parenthood, which provides contraceptive services, health screenings and treatment for low-income women under Medicaid. While Planned Parenthood also performs abortions, federal funds cannot be used for those procedures in most cases.
On Tuesday, House Republicans voted to allow states to remove groups that perform abortions from their lists of approved Medicaid providers, thus making them ineligible for federal funding.
Five polls released this week said Americans support continued federal funding of Planned Parenthood, and that they would blame congressional Republicans for any government shutdown over the issue.
Republicans have sought to end federal support for Planned Parenthood following the release of heavily edited videos made by an anti-abortion organization, charging the women's health care provider with illegally selling parts from aborted fetuses for profit.
An investigation by the House Energy and Commerce Committee has turned up no evidence to support the claims, according to U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-6th Dist.), the top Democrat on the panel. Committee Republicans said the probe is continuing.
Planned Parenthood gets $450 million annually in federal funds. New Jersey clinics, which offer health and contraceptive services in 14 of the state's 21 counties, received $5.2 million in federal support last year.
Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.