Tom Cole: “I have a lot of confidence in my friend who I know Mr. Sossamon know, Chief Batton is a member of that as well.”

We want to take away the possibility of a shutdown between now and the election.

Our conference refuses to let the obstruction and inaction of Senate Democrats trigger another manufactured shutdown at the end of September. That is why we are acting before a funding lapse crisis, not in response to it.

The Senate has wasted the entire year and a half. They have not passed a single bill.

It gives the nation and our constituents certainty, certainty that the government will remain open, certainty that our service members will be paid.