Heidi Alexander: “Boy Scouts shouldn't get a merit badge for telling the truth, and Senators shouldn't get an award for passing an…”

“Boy Scouts shouldn't get a merit badge for telling the truth, and Senators shouldn't get an award for passing an appropriations bill, because that is what we are supposed to do. But it is worth noting that for the first time in at least 10 years, these appropriations bills that we just passed are on time and within the budget Congress has set. With this vote today, we are moving toward restoring the practice of regular order in the Senate from start to finish. This is what the right way means: hearings--we held three. Mark up the bills--all 12 bills are completed before the Fourth of July recess. Consult with other Senators--in the case of the Energy and Water appropriations bills, 87 Senators, we believe, had their wishes reflected in our bill. Floor debate, amendment votes, then a conference committee, and then we had the vote today. I look forward to President Trump signing these appropriations bills into law. They will help to keep our country first in science, technology, and supercomputing, and they will build the ports and waterways that create jobs. This bill supports funding for several important agencies, including the Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Department of Energy, the National Nuclear Security Administration, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Bureau of Reclamation, and regional commissions, including the Appalachian Regional Commission and the Delta Regional Authority.…”