Political Quotes

“as the Senate begins its work for the year, the most immediate need on the calendar is avoiding a government shutdown and fully funding the government for fiscal year 2024. A shutdown is looming over us starting on January 19, about a week away. For the most part, both parties--Democrats and Republicans--agree we don't want a shutdown. Instead, we want to work together to pass the 12 appropriations bills based off top-line funding levels that Congressional leadership agreed to last Sunday. Chair Murray, Vice Chair Collins, Chair Granger, and Ranking Member DeLauro are all committed to working as quickly as possible to make that happen. Unfortunately, it has become crystal clear that it will take more than a week to finish the appropriations process. So, today, I am taking the first procedural step for the Senate to pass a temporary extension of government funding, so the government does not shutdown on January 19. What I am doing today is filing cloture on a shell bill we can act on next week. Members should be ready to take the first procedural vote on this vehicle upon our return after the Martin Luther King, Jr., holiday. I am taking this step because even a temporary extension of government funding takes about a week to pass through the Senate. So we want to act with enough time before the January 19 deadline. I urge my Republican colleagues in the Senate to work with us to keep this process moving quickly on the floor.…”