Chairman Murray Continues Push for Budget Conference; Calls on Republicans to End the Hostage-Taking and Debt Limit Brinksmanship

Statement

Today, Senate Budget Committee Chairman Patty Murray (D-WA) delivered a speech on the Senate floor calling on Senate Republicans once again to stop blocking the Senate from moving to a budget conference with the House. Earlier in the day, Senate Republicans blocked a request move to a budget conference for the 7th time.

Murray criticized House Republicans for spending the day debating with each other over what they plan to demand in return for not pushing the government into default and devastating the economy. She expressed hope that they change course and work with Democrats in a conference toward a balanced and bipartisan budget deal that works for families and the economy.

Over the past few days, more and more Senate Republicans have come out in opposition to their leadership's budget conference obstruction. Read more about Senate Republicans fracturing on this in the Politico and CQ stories.

Key excerpts from Murray's floor speech:

"…it has now been 53 days since the Senate passed a budget…we have tried to do so seven times, and each time, a Senate Republican has stood up and said no. Given how much Senate Republicans have talked about regular order over the past two years, we are surprised that they are now resisting this next step in bipartisan negotiations."

"…we should start working towards a bipartisan budget deal that works for families and our economy as soon as possible, and engage the American people in a thorough and responsible debate."

"…instead of meeting to discuss moving towards a bipartisan conference, House Republicans met to discuss what they'll ask for in exchange for not tanking the economy several months from now….Instead of moving toward the middle, and joining us at the table ready to compromise, they spent their afternoon debating what to write on the ransom note."

"…a lot of families across the country are very concerned that House Republicans haven't learned any lessons at all from the past two years, and that we are looking at more brinkmanship, more governing by crisis, and more harm for American families and businesses. House Republicans are even telling us they are willing to put foreign creditors before our seniors, veterans, and businesses, and claiming that this plan would somehow protect the economy."

"Let's get to work. Our country's challenges, rather than a looming artificial deadline or crisis, should guide our debate."

"It would be deeply irresponsible for the House to continue delaying a conference, and for Senate Republicans to continue to cover for them, especially if they are doing so for political reasons, to keep the negotiations out of the public eye, or to avoid taking a few tough votes."

"So I urge my Republican colleagues to reconsider their approach, join us in a budget conference ready to compromise, and work with us towards the bipartisan budget deal the American people deserve."

The full text of Senator Murray's speech follows:

"M. President, it has now been 53 days since the Senate passed a budget. Senate Democrats are pushing to keep this process moving and go to conference. We believe that with all of the urgent challenges we face, there is every reason to get to work right away on a bipartisan deal, and absolutely no reason to delay until the next crisis.

"But M. President, we have tried to do so seven times, and each time, a Senate Republican has stood up and said no. Given how much Senate Republicans have talked about regular order over the past two years, we are surprised that they are now resisting this next step in bipartisan negotiations.

"And it's not just Democrats who want to go to conference; quite a few Senate Republicans seem as surprised as we are. My colleague Senator McCain said blocking conference is "incomprehensible" and "insane." Senator Corker said that to "keep from appointing conferees is not consistent." And Senator Flake said he "would like to see a conference now."

"M. President, I sincerely hope Republican leaders in the Senate will listen to these members of their own party, because we've got a lot of problems to solve, and we should get started.

"Our children and young adults need a world-class education system to succeed in the global economy. Too many Americans are still out of work or underemployed. Our national infrastructure is quickly becoming an obstacle rather than an asset to our competitiveness. And we need to do more to responsibly tackle our long-term deficit and debt challenges and make our tax code work better for the middle class. The debate about these kinds of challenges could not be more important.

"So we should start working towards a bipartisan budget deal that works for families and our economy as soon as possible, and engage the American people in a thorough and responsible debate.

"That's why, M. President, I was very disappointed to see that today, instead of meeting to discuss moving towards a bipartisan conference, House Republicans met to discuss what they'll ask for in exchange for not tanking the economy several months from now.

"Instead of moving toward the middle, and joining us at the table ready to compromise, they spent their afternoon debating what to write on the ransom note, and saying that if they don't get what they want, they will allow the U.S. to default, an unprecedented event that would devastate our economy.

"So, M. President, I think a lot of families across the country are very concerned that House Republicans haven't learned any lessons at all from the past two years, and that we are looking at more brinkmanship, more governing by crisis, and more harm for American families and businesses.

"House Republicans are even telling us they are willing to put foreign creditors before our seniors, veterans, and businesses, and claiming that this plan would somehow protect the economy.

"But M. President, we all know this is absurd. A default is a default. If the federal government pays its foreign creditors but defaults on its obligations to our families and communities, the results would be catastrophic. Ratings agencies would rightly see that as a serious abdication of our responsibilities. Our fragile economic recovery would be threatened. And people across the country would lose faith in their government's ability to function.

"Fortunately, I don't think it will come to this. Republicans have said themselves that default would be a "financial disaster' for the global economy and that "you can't not raise the debt ceiling.' And just a few months ago, Republicans acknowledged how dangerous it would be to play games with the debt limit, and how politically damaging it would be to play politics with potential economic calamity, and they dropped their demands.

"So M. President, what's changed since then? Why are Republicans once again using this empty threat that does nothing more than rattle the markets and increase uncertainty?

"Maybe House Republicans think that since we won't hit the debt ceiling until later than we originally expected, there could be less pressure to get a deal, and more opportunity for them to extract political concessions.

"But that's exactly the wrong way to think about this. Because even if we know they will reverse course eventually, the Republican strategy of holding the economy hostage, creating uncertainty, and trying to push us toward another crisis has terrible consequences.

"All of my colleagues remember the summer of 2011, when extreme elements in the Republican Party demanded economically damaging policies, leading to a downgrade of our nation's credit. Economic growth and job creation slowed to a halt. Consumer confidence plummeted.

"And out of that summer came sequestration, a policy that was meant to serve only as a trigger, and was only implemented because Republicans were focused on protecting the wealthiest Americans and biggest corporations from paying a penny more in taxes, rather than making a deal.

"Today, sequestration is forcing families and communities across the country to cope with layoffs and deep cuts to services they count on, like child care and even public safety. Just yesterday, M. President, we learned that DOD civilian employees, many of whom are veterans, will be furloughed.

"So we need to replace sequestration with balanced and responsible deficit reduction, but we also need to stop the lurching from crisis to crisis that allows these kinds of policies to be enacted. There is absolutely no reason to double down on an approach that has these kinds of effects on the families and communities we serve, and on those who have bravely served our country.

"And so, contrary to what we're unfortunately hearing from the House, I believe that with more time to reach a fair, bipartisan agreement, we have all the more reason to move to conference quickly. Let's get to work. Our country's challenges, rather than a looming artificial deadline or crisis, should guide our debate.

"M. President, this shouldn't be controversial. There are responsible leaders on both sides of the aisle who agree. I hope Senate Republican leaders listen to the members of their own party who are calling for conference, and bring us one step closer to negotiating a bipartisan budget deal in a responsible way, instead of insisting that we run down the clock.

"I know there are factions in our government that believe compromise is a dirty word, and that getting a deal won't be easy. But I continue to believe it can be done. Because alongside those who refuse to compromise, there are responsible leaders who came here to show Americans that their government works.

"It would be deeply irresponsible for the House to continue delaying a conference, and for Senate Republicans to continue to cover for them, especially if they are doing so for political reasons, to keep the negotiations out of the public eye, or to avoid taking a few tough votes.

"So I urge my Republican colleagues to reconsider their approach, join us in a budget conference ready to compromise, and work with us towards the bipartisan budget deal the American people deserve.

"Thank you, and I yield the floor."

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