Steve Daines: “for months, we have called for Senate Democrats to stand and support our troops and pass the Defense appropriations…”

“for months, we have called for Senate Democrats to stand and support our troops and pass the Defense appropriations legislation. In fact, this is the first time--the first time since 2009--that all 12 appropriations bills were reported out of committee, and most with strong bipartisan support. I serve on the Appropriations Committee. In fact, I serve on the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. But today we are once again considering opening debate on the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2016, a bill that passed out of the Appropriations Committee on June 11 with a very strong bipartisan vote of 27 to 3. As we approach Veterans Day next week, today could mark the third time that Democrats have blocked this critical legislation to fund our troops. This comes at a time when our troops are actively engaged in multiple theaters abroad and they need the critical support of our Nation's growing mission overseas. But rather than passing this vital funding bill, my Democratic colleagues would rather play politics and perpetuate the obstruction that plagues their party. The minority leader's constituents in Nevada deserve more. They deserve better. Montanans deserve more. The American people deserve more. So here we are debating, for the third time, simply to proceed on Defense appropriations legislation and to open it up for debate. Let's be clear. The way the process works is we have to have first a vote to bring the bill to the floor to begin deliberation.…”