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[Page S78]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
THE MIDDLE EAST
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, yesterday evening, Democrats blocked
the Senate from proceeding to important foreign policy legislation.
This bill, which was blocked last night, included measures of which
they have been outspokenly supportive and even cosponsored, but then
they decided that getting anything done at all this week would clash
with their new political brand.
To be clear, the legislation I am referring to would have addressed
several serious challenges to U.S. interests in the Middle East. It
would have reaffirmed our commitment to the security of Israel, our
closest regional ally. It would have reauthorized defense cooperation
with Jordan, a critical partner, and it would have taken a vital step
toward bringing the perpetrators and the enablers of the Assad regime
atrocities in Syria to justice. Frankly, it would have delivered on
promises to which my Democratic colleagues appeared to be firmly
committed.
In their own words, Senate Democrats have discussed ``the
continuation of America's unshakeable, seven-decade commitment to
Israel's security'' and doing ``everything in our power to fight the
BDS movement,'' but, alas, instead of proceeding to this legislation,
Senate Democrats voted to block it.
My friend the Democratic leader chose to take this partial government
shutdown that he is prolonging and add his very own Senate shutdown on
top of it. They want to shut down the Senate as well--no progress, no
bipartisan work, not even on urgent and pressing matters, nothing that
might take the spotlight off his unreasonable showdown with the
President.
Just as an example, during the 2013 government shutdown, the Senate
kept right on chugging through the people's business. We passed 5
bills, 13 resolutions, appointed conferees on the farm bill, the budget
resolution, and confirmed 28 of President Obama's nominees. The Senate
was not shut down during the last government shutdown. This time, the
Democrats want to hold everything hostage--everything?
Here is more inconsistency. Senate Democrats were for border
security, including billions for physical barriers, before they were
against it, and they were for the Senate working hard during government
shutdowns on other business before they were against it.
Until our Democratic colleagues agree to get back to work--until they
agree to get back to work--the Senate can't make much progress. Rest
assured, Assad has not pressed the pause button on the Syrian civil war
simply because it doesn't suit the Democratic leader's political
strategy this week, Israel's enemies haven't stopped either, and until
Democrats prioritize the public interest ahead of political spite, our
border will not be secured, and the Federal Government will remain
partially closed.
I cannot urge my Democratic colleagues more strongly to get past this
purely partisan spite, rediscover their own past positions on border
security, and negotiate a fair solution with the President to secure
our Nation and reopen all of the Federal Government.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order
for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
____________________
