[ad_1]
WASHINGTON DC – US Senator Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), Deputy Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, spoke to the Senate today about the urgency of adopting a continuing bipartisan (CR) resolution. In his remarks, Senator Shelby urged his fellow Democrats to adopt S.2789, a clean RC that maintains government operations until December 3, 2021, and includes resources for disaster relief and assistance to Afghan allies. The package, presented last week by Shelby and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Also contains funding for the Iron Dome to bolster Israel’s defense capability and does not include worded to raise the debt limit to cover the Democrats’ spending spree.
Senator Shelby said: “The Republican leader has been very clear. We will not support any effort to raise the debt ceiling. … It’s not complicated. There is a simple solution: pass and pass a bill that has been negotiated on a bipartite, bicameral basis that enjoys support on both sides of the aisle. A bill that keeps government open, provides much-needed disaster assistance to the storm-ravaged areas of our country, and provides the assistance needed to deal with the crisis of withdrawal from Afghanistan. This bill is S.2789, the Shelby-McConnell bill.
Senator Shelby’s full remarks, as prepared, are as follows:
“Thank you Madam President. I had hoped to be here today to make a statement in support of the bill before us.
“For weeks, President Leahy and I, as well as the chairs and rank members of the subcommittees, worked cooperatively to produce a bipartisan dossier.
“A package that includes an ongoing resolution to keep the government in business, as well as additional emergency funding for disaster relief and support for those in need of rescue after the president’s hasty withdrawal. ‘Afghanistan.
“Bipartisan support for anything is a scarce commodity here and it’s something that should be embraced and emulated.
“We’re almost done our job, as owners so often do, but bigger forces have stepped in.
“The leadership across the aisle stepped in to pursue partisanship over courtesy; sabotaging constructive engagement by unnecessarily forcing an increase in the debt limit in what would otherwise be a bipartisan package.
“The Republican leader was very clear. We will not support any effort to raise the debt ceiling.
“Madam President, the road to success was clearly marked. Nonetheless, my fellow Democrats have chosen to drive this package into a ditch rather than take a bipartisan path.
“Madam President, it is not complicated. There is a simple solution: pass and pass a bill that has been negotiated on a bipartite, bicameral basis that enjoys support on both sides of the aisle.
“A bill that keeps government open, provides much-needed disaster assistance to storm-ravaged areas of our country, and provides the assistance needed to deal with the crisis of withdrawal from Afghanistan.”
“This bill is S.2789, the Shelby-McConnell bill.
“Madam President, if we do not take this route, I think my colleagues across the aisle owe the American people answers.
“Why did they choose to undermine a bipartisan effort to provide the American people with desperately needed disaster relief?
“Why did they choose to ignore the immediate resource needs of Afghans that deserve our support?
“And why are they threatening to shut down the government when we have an alternative that would avoid this outcome? Mr. Speaker, that does not have to happen.
“Instead of accepting victory, my fellow Democrats accept defeat and create a new crisis.
“It is a perilous path on which they are putting the country. But it is not too late.
“The majority can back down and get us back on track by immediately passing the Shelby-McConnell bill. It will keep government open and provide much needed emergency funding.
“This is the bill we should be looking at. I urge the majority to do so.
“Madam President, I yield the floor and note the absence of quorum.
###
[ad_2]
Source link