Tom Cole: “I would rather act and not get it quite right than do nothing at all and miss this really unique opportunity to reassert…”

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

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

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.

For anyone questioning this legislation, the facts are simple — it extends the government funding deadline to Dec. 4, denying any party the opportunity to manufacture leverage before elections.