Political Quotes

“this all feels strangely familiar. It is the middle of December. We are facing a government shutdown, arguing behind the scenes over the final details, discussing whether we are going to do a short-term CR, wondering what is going to happen. Everyone has this sense that if we don't get the bill done by tomorrow, then we are going to end up in shutdown and all the problems that causes. Senator Hassan and I stand in the back and hold up our hands and say: In February of last year, we proposed a solution to this that fits this exact scenario to keep us from holding Federal workers and all of our agencies in harm's way. The ending government shutdowns bill is designed for this moment. For whatever reason, we have not been able to agree to pass it. It is a process document. It doesn't solve all of the policy issues we have. We have real policy differences, but we should not have process differences at moments like this. It is not good for the American people. It is not good for the U.S. Senate or the U.S. Congress to stand at the precipice of a shutdown and to say: Maybe we go over; maybe we don't. Maybe we have a short-term continuing resolution; maybe we pass the 12 appropriations bills. We shouldn't ever get to that moment. Our simple idea is not a partisan idea. Senator Hassan and I released a simple, straightforward idea.…”