Unanimous Consent Request--H.R. 21

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. McCONNELL. We have typically done that during these government shutdowns. The last thing we need to do right now is to trade pointless--absolutely pointless-- show votes back and forth across the aisle.

Just a few days ago, very recently--not years ago--before the latest shifts in political winds, my good friend the Democratic leader completely agreed with me on this. In fact, he and I made an explicit commitment to several of our Members on this very point. We announced it here on the floor. We agreed that we wouldn't waste the Senate's time on show votes related to government funding until a global agreement was reached that could pass the House, pass the Senate, and which the President could sign.

Here is how the Democratic leader himself stated his position, and remember, this was very recently: In order for an agreement to be reached, all four congressional leaders must sign off and the President must endorse it and say he will sign it. That is how you make a law. Most importantly, the President must publicly support and say he will sign our agreement before it gets a vote in either Chamber--before it gets a vote in either Chamber.

That was my good friend the Democratic leader just recently. I intend to keep my word, and I intend to hold him to his.

Yesterday, the White House made clear that the President opposes piecemeal appropriations that neglect border security and would veto them, so obviously that isn't going to become law. This proposal flunks the Democratic leader's own test of a few days ago.

Look, the political stunts are not going to get us anywhere. Senate Democrats should stop blocking the Senate from taking up other urgent matters, like the pending bills concerning Israel and the Syrian civil war. In previous government shutdowns, the Senate has done business. The Senate hasn't been shut down. That is what we ought to be doing and actually at the same time negotiate with the President on border security because nothing else is going to get a solution. Therefore, I object.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, colleagues on the Democratic side of the aisle apparently pledged to oppose proceeding to other important bills--we have experienced that at least to this point--during the government shutdown even though there is no precedent for that.

All but four yesterday voted against the motion to proceed to S. 1, and I am assuming they will vote against it again this afternoon. S. 1--the bill they are preventing us from going to--has wide bipartisan support and is a critical step in supporting our allies in the Middle East and securing peace in Syria.

I have talked to many Americans who are intensely interested in the Israel issues. They don't understand why this important legislation would be stymied over a dispute over something entirely different.

Through the Chair, I ask Senator Cardin if this blockade against business on the floor is absolute.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, I say to my friend from Maryland--I will repeat the question in a minute, but the answer to his question to me is, because this will not produce a result. It has been perfectly clear that the only way to produce this result is for the President, the Speaker of the House, and the minority leader to agree, because we need votes from Democrats both in the Senate and the House in order to pass a measure that the President will sign.

My question of the Senator from Maryland was, is this blockade against business on the floor absolute?

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. McCONNELL. As I said, Madam President, repeatedly, it will not solve the problem because the President has made it clear he won't sign it.

Let me try one more time. Does the Senator, through the Chair--

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. McCONNELL. Can we have order in the Senate?

Does the Senator intend to vote against proceeding to other measures during the government shutdown?

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, I think since the Senator from Maryland is unwilling to answer my question, the assumption should be-- and I say this to the broad pro-Israel community in America that we all interact with on issues related to the U.S.-Israel relationship--the Senator is saying he might well vote to proceed to something else but not vote to proceed to these important Israel bills and this important Syria bill.

I want to make sure everybody understands where we are. The Senator is refusing to answer the question as to whether or not this blockade against Senate business applies to everything or just to these pro- Israel bills. So I think the refusal to answer provides the answer for our colleagues, and I assume we can anticipate the Democrats will try to get votes on other matters during the government shutdown but just not the Israel issue and the Syria issue.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, through the Chair, I have a question of Senator Van Hollen. He is going to propound a consent agreement, I assume.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source