Political Quotes

“I cannot help but note that the fiscal year began October 1 last year. Four months have passed. That is 122 days since the start of the fiscal year, and we still don't have a budget deal to allow us to finish the fiscal year 2018 appropriations bills. That is 122 days, and the Congress has not done their job. Recently, President Trump has taken to Twitter. He has accused Democrats of holding up funding for our troops. Well, the idea that Democrats are holding up defense spending doesn't pass the laugh test. I mean, last July--7 months ago--I called for bipartisan budget negotiations, something we have always done in the past. As the vice chairman of Appropriations, I put forward a proposal that would increase defense spending by $54 billion and would increase nondefense spending by an equal amount of $54 billion. Basically, what we did when Senator Murray and then-Congressman Ryan worked out the budget agreement. We did that years ago based on parity. The proposal was responsible, it was reasonable, and it was based on parity. It was something we have done for years. It would have fully funded President Trump's budget request for our military, but it would also have provided much needed relief from the damaging effects of sequestration that we have seen on both sides of the ledger, defense and nondefense.…”