Political Quotes

“Mr. President, on a different subject, I return this morning to the topic of appropriations. We have until the end of this work period to figure out a way to continue government funding, and there is good talk of a short-term continuing resolution so the government doesn't run out of money on September 30. Yet the larger question is how this Chamber is going to proceed or not proceed with the 12 appropriations bills that fund our government. Despite many disagreements between the majority and minority in this Chamber, the Senate has been able to produce several bipartisan budget deals even in the Trump era. The reason we have been able to do this is that both parties have been committed to working together throughout each stage of the appropriations process. Bipartisanship-- appropriations can only work with it and will not work without it. Earlier this summer, the Democrats and the Republicans negotiated the broad outlines of a budget deal in good faith. We allocated the 302(a)s and came up with a side agreement. After that, the very first step in the appropriations process is to agree, in a bipartisan way, with the allocations for the 12 subcommittees of the Appropriations Committee. That is what we did in 2018, and I believe it passed the committee unanimously--or maybe with one dissenting vote. It was passed unanimously on a bipartisan basis. The Appropriations Committee passed those 302(b) allocations 31 to 0.…”