Tom Cole: “This is a program, as the chair knows, that she and I have worked on together for 7 years.”

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.

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

I will begin by thanking the President of the United States. He supported each and every one of these tranches of bills that have been brought to the floor during this critical month where we completed the appropriations process. We would…

This is what my friends on the other side asked for — a clean bill. No partisan riders, no tricks, no things. And give it to us for a short period.