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[Page S5909]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
BUSINESS BEFORE THE SENATE AND APPROPRIATIONS
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, this week the Senate has several
opportunities to make headway on important matters facing our country.
First, we will tend to a pending treaty protocol on the accession of
a new member to NATO and reaffirm the importance of the alliance to the
security of U.S. interests around the world. Then, we will consider yet
another of the President's well-qualified nominees to the diplomatic
corps. But while the Senate can take care of some of these matters on
their own, much of the pressing business of the American people
requires coordination with our colleagues across the Capitol.
Unfortunately, the only thing that seems to really inspire House
Democrats these days is their obsession with overturning the results of
the 2016 election.
In the weeks since the Speaker of the House gave in to her far-left
Members' demands for an impeachment inquiry, she and other prominent
House Democrats have insisted over and over and over that impeachment
will not stop them from making real progress on legislation.
They say their 3-year-old impeachment parade doesn't have to block
traffic and bring other important priorities to a standstill. That is
what they have been saying, but actions speak louder than words. We
have yet to see any actual indication that House Democrats intend to
make good on that commitment.
For months, we have heard the Speaker claim that she would like to
get to yes on the USMCA. We have heard that her caucus is ``making
progress,'' but nearly a year after this landmark agreement with Mexico
and Canada was announced, the most significant update to the North
American trade policy in a generation is still waiting for the House to
take action. Billions of new dollars in economic growth and 176,000 new
American jobs are still waiting on House Democrats.
And that is not all. So far, even something as completely basic as
funding our Armed Forces--funding our men and women in uniform--has met
the same fate. Democrats have elected to stall it and block it in order
to pick fights with the White House. Notwithstanding our bipartisan,
bicameral agreement to wrap up the appropriations process in good
faith, Senate Democrats voted a few weeks ago to block funding for the
Department of Defense. No critical resources for U.S. servicemembers,
no predictable planning process for our commanders, no pay raise for
our all-volunteer Armed Forces--none of that was allowed to travel
through the Senate because our Democratic colleagues just don't care
for the occupant of the White House.
Ironically, many of these same colleagues of ours have spent recent
days making loud pronouncements on U.S. foreign policy. By the sound of
their comments, it almost sounds as if they are coming around to
Republicans' long-held views on the necessity of American leadership
all around the world. But, once again, actions speak louder, and thus
far our Democratic colleagues have not even been willing to get past
partisanship for the sake of job No. 1--funding our military.
So this week we will offer our Democratic colleagues a clear test.
Are all the declarations that they are willing to work on important
legislation just empty talk or will Senate Democrats finally do their
part to move the appropriations process forward?
Soon we will vote on advancing a package of domestic funding
legislation. As I said last week, I am grateful to Chairman Shelby and
Senator Leahy for their continued conversations and hopeful they can
produce a substitute amendment that will fund a number of urgent
domestic priorities. Then, once we complete that work, we will vote to
move forward the funding for our national defense--two big votes, two
big votes, two big opportunities for our Democratic friends to show the
country whether their party's impeachment obsession leaves them any
room at all for the pressing business of the American people.
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