06.17.15

Will Dems Filibuster ‘A Key Investment In Our National Security’?

Dem Leadership Is Threatening Troop Funding Because ‘The Internal Revenue Service. … Is An Important Part Of Our Country’

 

Dem Leadership: ‘Get Ready For Filibuster Summer’

“Democrats appear eager to return to shutdown politics...” (“Congress Paddles Toward Brink Of A Government Shutdown,” The Hill, 6/16/15)

  • ‘Get ready for filibuster summer’ “After almost six months in the minority, Charles E. Schumer says Senate Democrats aren’t afraid to be obstructionists, detailing a strategy of blocking appropriations bills and other Republican agenda items until they get what they want. …Get ready for filibuster summer… He said his colleagues are resolute and will not buckle…” (“Democrats Prepare For Filibuster Summer,” The Washington Post, 6/10/15)

SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV): “The federal government is being starved for resources.” (Sen. Reid, Floor Remarks, 6/16/15)

  • REID: ‘The Internal Revenue Service. … I am here to say it is an important part of our country’ “My friend the Republican leader, as a little bit of his magic, always throws in the Internal Revenue Service, as if: Boy, we are doing great things. We are cutting the Internal Revenue Service. I am not here to throw bouquets to the Internal Revenue Service, but I am here to say it is an important part of our country.” (Sen. Reid, Congressional Record, S.4172, 6/16/15)

SEN. PATTY MURRAY (D-WA): “…the automatic cuts need to be rolled back evenly across defense and non-defense investments. This is non-negotiable.” (Sen. Murray, Remarks, 6/10/15)

 

To Start ‘Senate Democratic Leaders Say They Will Block The Defense Appropriations Bill’

“Senate Democratic leaders say they will block the defense appropriations bill from coming to the floor this month unless there is a deal to lift ceilings on government spending known as the sequester.” (“Senate Democrats Vow To Block Defense Spending Bill,” The Hill, 6/4/15)

  • SEN. JACK REED (D-RI): “Democrats contend other programs subject to the spending caps, such as medical research, police funding and education, are also important. ‘Our duty is not just to fund the Department of Defense, it's to fund the government of the United States,’ Senator Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, told the news conference.” (“Democrats To Block Spending Bills Over Pentagon Funds,” Reuters, 6/4/15)

 

Rank & File Senate Dems: Defense Spending Bill ‘A Key Investment In Our National Security,’ ‘The Payoff Is Big,’ Includes ‘One Of My Top Priorities’

“The Senate Appropriations Committee approved Thursday a Defense spending bill for fiscal 2016… The committee vote was 27-3 in favor of the measure, which would allocate nearly $576 billion, including $86.9 billion for Pentagon overseas operations.” (“Senate Appropriators Advance Defense Bill Amid Partisan Spats,” CQ Roll Call, 6/11/15)

  • SEN. BRIAN SCHATZ (D-HI): “‘The funding for defense programs that the Appropriations Committee passed today is a key investment in our national security and is further indication of the important role Hawai‘i plays in our defense strategy,’ said Senator Schatz. ‘Within the constraints of the sequester, a number of Hawai‘i’s defense priorities were funded.  These are critical if we are going to have a successful strategy to rebalance to the Asia Pacific.’” (Sen. Schatz, Press Release, 6/11/15)
  • SEN. CHRIS MURPHY (D-CT): “Murphy Calls Defense Appropriations A Victory For Connecticut: Today, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement regarding defense funding included in the FY2016 Defense Appropriations Bill, which he voted for and which passed out of committee earlier today. ‘I fought for a seat on the Appropriations Committee – the one committee that controls how our government spends taxpayer dollars – so I could make sure that Connecticut taxpayers see their hard earned money returned to our state. I’ve listened to the needs and concerns of residents all across Connecticut and have worked hard on their behalf, and today, the payoff is big. I voted for the Defense Appropriations Bill because it will directly protect and grow Connecticut’s defense manufacturing industry and the hundreds of thousands of jobs it supports across our state. This bill recognizes Connecticut’s contribution to America’s national security by investing in our state-of-the-art submarines, helicopters, and jet engines and adding hundreds of millions of dollars to the local economy. It provides more Blackhawk helicopters, F135 engines, and research and development of new submarines critical to manufacturing in towns like Groton, Middletown, and Stratford. It will also expand access to behavioral health counseling for our servicemen and women and implement a well-deserved pay raise for our troops who put their lives on the line each and every day.” (Sen. Murphy, “Murphy Calls Defense Appropriations A Victory For Connecticut,” 6/11/15)
  • SEN. JEANNE SHAHEEN (D-NH): “As you are aware, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved the Fiscal Year 2016 Defense Appropriations bill … This bill included $20 million for Beyond Yellow Ribbon programs, which was one of my top priorities. New Hampshire’s Care Coordination Program (CCPNH) has achieved significant outcomes in areas including suicide prevention, access to mental health, homelessness prevention, and access to employment for veterans. CCPNH has already supported more than 270 servicemembers in navigating the pre-deployment process this year in order to enhance readiness of members of the New Hampshire National Guard for deployment overseas. Therefore, it is critical to continue the support for Beyond Yellow Ribbon programs such as CCPNH as the needs of our men and women in uniform and their families for outreach and reintegration services continue to increase.” (Sen. Shaheen, Press Release, 6/12/15)

 

43 House Democrats Voted For The FY’2016 Defense Appropriations Bill

“The House on Thursday approved a $579 billion defense spending bill that offers a slight pay raise to U.S. troops… 43 Democrats voted for the bill.” (“House Passes Defense Spending Bill,” AP, 6/12/15)

 

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SENATE REPUBLICAN COMMUNICATIONS CENTER

Related Issues: Senate Democrats, Appropriations, NDAA