On the recordOctober 20, 2011
as we continue to debate the three fiscal year 2012 appropriations bills, I want to take a moment to congratulate the managers of these individual measures, and to urge my colleagues to continue in the current bipartisan spirit as we seek to move additional bills in the coming weeks. Building on the progress we have made this week would make it less likely that we will be forced to resort to an omnibus or year-long continuing resolution down the road. The bills we are considering are both bipartisan and fiscally responsible. Senators Kohl and Blunt worked together to produce an Agriculture bill that is $2.2 billion below the President's request and $141 million below the fiscal year 2011 enacted level. Senator Mikulski and Senator Hutchison have managed a Commerce-Justice-Science bill that is $5 billion below the President's request and $631 million below the fiscal year 2012 enacted level. Senator Murray and Senator Collins have crafted a Transportation, Housing bill that is $677 million below the President's request and $117 million below last year's level. As noted by the leadership of the respective subcommittees, all three of these measures were approved by the full committee with overwhelming bipartisan support. These measures reflect the austere fiscal environment we face. They are consistent with the framework established by the Budget Control Act, which establishes a discretionary spending level that is $7 billion below last year's level.…
