McConnell on Appropriations: I Remain Hopeful We Can Get Process Back on Track
‘Back in July, both parties in both houses of Congress and the White House all agreed to a bipartisan, bicameral road map to guide appropriations. We all agreed to rule out poison pill policy riders and not to seek changes in presidential authorities relative to current law. So I hope we can rediscover that road map and make some progress. In the meantime, before the end of the week, we will vote on a continuing resolution to prevent a lapse in funding while work continues.’
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor regarding the need to confirm more of the president’s nominees and fund the federal government:
“This week, the Senate will consider more of the president’s choices to fill important positions in the federal government. Too many important seats have continued to gather dust, two and a half years into this presidency, due to systematic Democrat obstruction.
“The president deserves his team and the American people deserve to be governed by the government they elected. So as long as there continues to be resistance to processing uncontroversial nominees in the typical fashion by voice vote, we’ll just continue to vote on these impressive men and women. Leading off this week are nominees to be Deputy Under Secretary of the Treasury, Ambassador to the Republic of Fiji, Solicitor of the Department of the Interior, and Deputy Commissioner of Social Security. I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting each of them.
“The Senate also needs to remain focused on our important job of funding the federal government. Last week brought an unfortunate spectacle: The vast majority of our Democratic colleagues actually filibustered legislation to fund our national defense — at a dollar figure they’d previously agreed to — for the sake of a political fight with the president. The funding our commanders need to keep pace with China and Russia. The funding our men and women in uniform need for their tools and training. Even a pay raise for our servicemembers. All of it was blocked by our Democratic colleagues — blocked by Democrats — in order to pick a partisan fight with the White House. That’s an interesting statement of priorities.
“But I remain hopeful that we can get this process back on track. Back in July, both parties in both houses of Congress and the White House all agreed to a bipartisan, bicameral road map to guide appropriations. We all agreed to rule out poison pill policy riders and not to seek changes in presidential authorities relative to current law. So I hope we can rediscover that road map and make some progress. In the meantime, before the end of the week, we will vote on a continuing resolution to prevent a lapse in funding while work continues.”
Related Issues: Nominations, America's Military, Appropriations
Next Previous
