Tom Cole: “We are not talking about some sort of takeover here. We are talking about a cooperative arrangement and negotiated…”

The bill before us is a clean, narrowly tailored continuing resolution that keeps the government open and operating. Nothing more. Nothing less.

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.

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

I hold the Democrats in the Senate most responsible, but I don’t excuse the Republicans for letting them do it.