Government Funding

Floor Speech

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Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, on a related matter, while this rescue package will dominate headlines, we are also set to fund the entire Federal Government on a bipartisan basis.

We must not overlook the tireless work from Chairman Shelby, Senator Leahy, and our Appropriations Committees in both Chambers. Their hard work goes beyond just avoiding shutdowns. Full-year funding bills give our Armed Forces the certainty to make plans and budgets so we can continue to modernize our capabilities and keep pace with competitors like Russia and China.

This year's bills also tackle important domestic priorities. Everything from agricultural research to the fight against opioid abuse, to border security and law enforcement are provided for. We aren't defunding the police or abolishing ICE around here--not on our watch.

Federal law enforcement from the U.S. Marshals to the Border Patrol will get the resources they need to protect innocent Americans and uphold the rule of law.

And I want to especially thank Chairman Shelby and Congresswoman Granger for beating back a number of far-left poison pills. These bills maintain pro-life guardrails on funding, secure President Trump's approach to title X, and respect our citizens' Second Amendment rights.

The Senate is about to cast some incredibly impactful votes. None of us think any of this legislation is perfect, but a big bipartisan majority of us recognize the incredible amount of good it will do when we send it to the President's desk.

The American people have waited long enough. I am glad for our country that we are now moving ahead together.

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