-9999
Floor Speech
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I begin this morning with some good news. I am happy to say that last night I reached an agreement with Leader McConnell, the Speaker, and the chairs of the House Appropriations Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committee on a continuing resolution that will keep the Federal Government funded through mid-February of next year.
This is a good compromise that allows an appropriate amount of time for both parties in both Chambers to finish negotiations on appropriations. As I said, this is a good compromise that allows an appropriate amount of time for both parties in both Chambers to finish negotiations on appropriations.
This morning, the House will start the process to take up this government funding measure, and we hope they can have it passed through their Chamber by the end of today.
Unfortunately, it seems Republican dysfunction could be a roadblock to averting an unnecessary and dangerous government shutdown. Democrats and most Republicans, including the Republican leader, have said they don't want to see a Republican shutdown. We hope cooler heads will prevail.
Just as we saw with the NDAA, a few individual Republican Senators appear determined to derail this important legislation because of their opposition to the President's lifesaving vaccine guidelines critical to healing our country in the middle of a pandemic.
Let's be clear: If there is a shutdown, it will be a Republican anti- vaccine shutdown. Democrats want to get the government funded as soon as possible. It was not easy to reach this deal. It took a while to get Republican leadership on board. But I am glad that we have gotten it done. I thank my colleagues on the other side of the aisle for working with us to find a path forward.
Now all that is left are a few lone holdouts who are raising objections that are doomed to fail and which can be debated elsewhere. There is no reason we should have a Republican shutdown. I have worked with the Republican leader on an agreement that will avoid one. Now, again, I hope cooler heads will prevail on the other side so we can keep the government funded before tomorrow's deadline. H.R. 4350
Now, Madam President, on the NDAA, once again, Republican dysfunction--that seems to be what is going on in the other Chamber, not by all Republican Members but by some who seem to run the show--the Republican show, that is. Republican dysfunction has, sadly, caused immense damage on another routine, important, and largely bipartisan priority, the NDAA.
Democrats have been working in good faith with the other side for weeks--since before the Thanksgiving holiday--to secure an agreement to approve our annual Defense bill. Last night, because of the objections of one Republican, the NDAA has, once again, been prevented from moving forward.
As I said last night, the amendment pushed by my colleague would certainly raise a blue slip objection in the House and, thus, kill the entire NDAA. Now, the Senator from Florida says there are no blue slip issues, but this isn't a matter of opinion. The authority here rests with the Ways and Means Committee in the House, and they have stated, unequivocally, that his proposal would raise blue slip issues. Other Members had amendments with similar issues, but they worked with the Ways and Means Committee in the House to resolve them because they are the arbiter. Senator Rubio has not done the same.
It is unfortunate that this misguided demand of a single Republican Senator is preventing this important legislation to support our national security from moving in the Senate, particularly in light of the fact that so many amendments were allowed to be offered by Senator Reed and Senator Inhofe. The number of amendments that would be voted on--let me repeat--would exceed the total number of amendments--the total number of amendments--that were allowed on the NDAA under the 4 years of Republican leadership during Donald Trump's Presidency.
So to say that we are in a process that is unbalanced or unfair is totally false. It is just, simply, one person holding it up. For the sake of our troops and our families, I hope this Republican dysfunction can be addressed.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Source