Continuing Appropriations Act, 2024 and Other Extensions Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I now ask unanimous consent there be up to 5 minutes for debate, equally divided, between the two leaders or their designees; that upon the use or yielding back of time, the Senate vote on passage of H.R. 5860 with 60 affirmative votes required for passage and with no amendments or motions in order to the bill prior to the vote on passage.

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Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I have very good news for the country. Democrats and Republicans have come to an agreement, and the government will remain open. We will have avoided a shutdown.

Bipartisanship, which has been the trademark of the Senate, has prevailed, and the American people can breathe a sigh of relief. But this is a bridge CR. Leader McConnell and I have agreed to continue fighting for more economic and security aid for Ukraine. We support Ukraine's efforts to defend its sovereignty against Putin's aggression.

So thank you, thank you to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their excellent work. The bipartisanship here in the Senate set the tone for today's result, and I hope it sets the tone for the future.

Recognition of the Minority Leader
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Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, it has been a day full of twists and turns, but the American people can breathe a sigh of relief. There will be no government shutdown. Democrats have said from the start that the only solution for avoiding a shutdown is bipartisanship, and we are glad that Speaker McCarthy has finally heeded our message.

In the end, more Democrats supported this bill in the House than Republicans, proving bipartisanship was the best answer all along.

I want to thank my colleagues here in the Senate, especially our appropriators, the Presiding Officer and Susan Collins and Leader McConnell.

Our bipartisan work in the Senate set the tone for the bill we are about to pass. Our bipartisanship made this possible and showed the House that they had to act.

We will keep the government open for 45 days with a clean CR at current funding levels, and we avoided all of the extreme, nasty, and harmful cuts MAGA Republicans wanted. No 30 percent cuts across the board; no 30 percent cuts to things like healthcare, to the Social Security Administration, to the nutrition programs for kids; full reauthorization of the FAA until December 31; and the poison pill amendments, of which there were scores--MAGA-inspired riders--were all removed from the bill. After trying to take our government hostage, MAGA Republicans won nothing.

So one more time, it is good Speaker McCarthy finally--finally-- heeded our message that bipartisanship was and is and remains the only way. He could have made this decision weeks ago.

Now, I have said from day one, this is a bridge CR, a temporary solution, not the final destination. We will not stop fighting for more economic and security assistance for Ukraine. Majorities in both parties support Ukraine aid, and doing more is vital for America's security and for democracy around the world. But this CR is still very good news for the American people.

Today, MAGA extremists have failed, bipartisanship has prevailed, and both parties have come together to avert a shutdown.

Once again, thank you to Leader McConnell, Appropriations Chair Patty Murray, Vice Chair Susan Collins, and Members on both sides of the aisle who came together.

Today's CR would not have been possible without the Senate's good work. The Senate showed that bipartisanship was the only way, and the same will be true again in 45 days.

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