“Today’s employment report again shows that our economy cannot afford more self-inflicted setbacks like the sequester. We need to focus on growth, not austerity. To spur greater job growth, Republicans should work with Democrats to make job-creating investments and replace the sequester with a balanced approach to deficit reduction that combines smart cuts with revenue measures such as closing tax loopholes for the very wealthy.

“We all know this recovery has a long road ahead, and nobody knows it better than the workers who have lost their jobs in Nevada and across the nation. But only Congress can undo the serious effects of Republicans’ harsh austerity. I hope my Republican colleagues will put partisanship aside and work with us for the good of the middle class.”

“They said they wanted to debate and pass a budget. Well, here was their chance.”

“Democrats are willing to… debate the issues. And with the American people on our side, this is a debate we know we can win.”

Washington, D.C. – Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid spoke on the Senate floor today regarding Republican objections to considering the Senate Budget Resolution. Below are his remarks as prepared for delivery:

For the last few years, Republicans have been hollering that the Senate hasn’t passed a budget. They have done so in spite of the fact that Republicans in both chambers voted for the Budget Control Act, which set spending levels for the last two years.

Every reasonable political observer admits the Budget Control Act, which had the force of law, was a budget by another name. But still Republicans pined for the days of so-called regular order – when the Senate would vote on a budget resolution that would set spending priorities for the fiscal year.

Republicans were desperate, they said, to have a budget debate. Republicans were desperate for an amendment vote-a-rama. And they had charts to prove it. They had press conferences to prove it.  They even had a calendar tallying the days since the Senate has passed a budget resolution.

So I was amazed yesterday when Senate Republicans blocked attempts to begin debate on the Senate budget resolution. Republicans said they wanted to debate and pass a budget. Well, here was their chance. Yet the Junior Senator from Kansas, Senator Moran, objected to a request to begin debating the budget unless we vote on his proposed amendment to the continuing resolution.

Senator Moran is concerned air traffic control towers in Kansas will close because of across-the-board sequester spending cuts. I say to my colleague, the Senator from Kansas, we are all concerned about the impact of these cuts. In Nevada, more than 100 families will lose access to low-income housing because of the sequester. Nationwide, more than 70,000 little boys and girls will be kicked off Head Start. Over time, these arbitrary cuts will be very painful for millions of Americans.

We are all concerned about the sequester. That is why the Senate Democratic budget proposal actually reverses the sequester. The policies outlined in our budget will save hundreds of thousands of jobs and safeguard communities by keeping police, air traffic controllers and meat inspectors on the job.

Reversing the sequester would alleviate Senator Moran’s concern about air traffic controllers in Kansas. But the Senate can’t debate a thoughtful way to replace the sequester if Republicans won’t even let us debate our budget proposal.

We know Republicans and Democrats won’t agree on every aspect of the budget – which sets priorities for how the government spends money and how it saves money.

Republicans have one plan for Medicare – turn it into a voucher program. Democrats have another – to preserve and protect Medicare for our children and grandchildren.

Republicans have one plan for taxes – lower them for the rich and let the middle class foot the bill. Democrats have another – ask the wealthiest individuals and corporations to contribute a little more to reduce the deficit.

Republicans have one plan to reduce the deficit – rely on harsh austerity that shortchanges the elderly, veterans, the middle class and the poor. Democrats have another – a balanced approach that couples smart spending cuts with new revenue from closing loopholes that benefit the wealthiest Americans.

We have our differences. But Democrats are willing to discuss those differences. We’re willing to debate the issues. And with the American people on our side, this is a debate we know we can win.

“Republicans should give Congress true flexibility – flexibility to cut wasteful subsidies, flexibility to close unnecessary tax loopholes and flexibility to ask the richest of the rich to contribute a little more.”

“As usual, Republicans have put the demands of special interests over the needs of middle-class Americans.

Washington, D.C. – Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid spoke on the Senate floor today regarding across-the-board sequester cuts that will take effect tomorrow. Below are his remarks as prepared for delivery:

Today the Senate says goodbye to a valued and accomplished staff member, Rick DeBobes, who is retiring after ten years as staff director of Chairman Levin’s Senate Armed Services Committee. Rick DeBobes came to the Senate more than two decades ago, after a distinguished, 26-year career as a Judge Advocate in the United States Navy. He has spent his entire Capitol Hill career with the same committee – a rare occurrence in the Senate – working first for Chairman Sam Nunn and then for Chairman Levin.

For the last decade, Rick has led the committee’s oversight of two of our longest-running wars, in Iraq and Afghanistan, working to reward the dedication of military personnel and their families. Under Chairman Levin’s guiding hand, he has also filled the ranks of the Armed Services Committee staff with the next generation of national security professionals.

Rick’s expertise, integrity and commitment to public service will be missed by Republicans and Democrats. And on behalf of the Senate community, I thank him for his service and wish him well in retirement.

Rick’s departure from the Senate Armed Services Committee comes during a trying time for our nation’s military – as deep, across-the-board spending cuts are set to strike. Hundreds of thousands of civilian employees of the Defense Department will be furloughed in coming weeks and months. Families and businesses across this country are also bracing for the pain of deep cuts to programs that keep our food safe, our water clean and our borders secure.

But it’s not too late to avert these damaging cuts – cuts for which the overwhelming majority of Republicans in both houses of Congress voted. Democrats have a balanced proposal to remove the threat of the sequester. Our proposal would reduce the deficit by making smart spending cuts. It would also close wasteful tax loopholes that allow companies that outsource jobs to China or India to claim tax deductions for doing so. Our plan would stop wasteful subsidies to farmer, some of whom don’t even farm anymore. And it would ask the wealthiest among us – those making millions each year – to pay just a little more to help reduce the deficit.

Almost 60 percent of Republicans around the country favor this balanced approach to reduce the deficit with a combination of revenue and smart spending cuts. But because this proposition would ask millionaires, billionaires and wealthy corporations to contribute even a tiny fraction more, Republicans here in Congress won’t support it. Republicans in Congress are going after our proposal because it goes after special interests.

Now, after days of infighting, Senate Republicans have announced their own so-called “plan.” Instead of replacing the pain of the sequester with something smarter and more reasonable, their plan would embrace these devastating cuts, while abandoning any of the responsibility that goes along with them.

Republicans call the plan “flexibility.” But let’s call it what it really is: a punt. As President Obama said Tuesday, it would simply raise the question: “Do I end funding that helps disabled children or poor children? Do I close this Naval Shipyard or that one?”

It is not a solution. And even members of the Senate Republican caucus have questioned the wisdom of this proposal.

Republicans should give Congress true flexibility – flexibility to cut wasteful subsidies, flexibility to close unnecessary tax loopholes and flexibility to ask the richest of the rich to contribute a little more. Instead, they’re completely inflexible – insisting we risk hundreds of thousands of American jobs, as well as programs that strengthen families and small businesses across this nation.

But that should come as no surprise. As usual, Republicans have put the demands of special interests over the needs of middle-class Americans.

“It is critical that Republicans and Democrats come together to find a balanced way to avert these drastic [sequester] cuts.”

“Democrats want to work with Republicans to find a balanced, responsible way to reduce the deficit. Unfortunately… they would sacrifice 750,000 American jobs rather than ask multi-millionaires to pay a penny more.”

Washington, D.C. – Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid spoke on the Senate floor today about the sequester and Republicans’ unprecedented filibuster of Secretary of Defense nominee Chuck Hagel. Below are his remarks as prepared for delivery.

Today the Senate will vote for a second time to move forward with the nomination of Senator Chuck Hagel – a Republican – to serve as Secretary of Defense. Twelve days ago, Republicans mounted a first-of-its-kind filibuster of Senator Hagel’s confirmation. Senator Hagel is the first nominee for Secretary of Defense to be filibustered in the history of the United States.

And what has their filibuster gained my Republican colleagues? Twelve days later, nothing has changed. Twelve days later, Senator Hagel’s exemplary record of service to his country remains untarnished. Twelve days later, President Obama’s support for this qualified nominee is still strong. Twelve days later, the majority of Senators still support his confirmation.

Senate Republicans have delayed for the better part of two weeks for one reason and one reason only: partisanship. At a time when our nation faces threats abroad, the President’s nominee for Secretary of Defense deserves a fair and constructive confirmation process.

Politically-motivated delays send a terrible signal to our allies and to the world. And they send a terrible signal to tens of thousands of Americans serving in Afghanistan. For the sake of national security, it’s time to set aside this partisanship.

In three days, across-the-board cuts to defense spending are scheduled to take effect. The Pentagon needs a seasoned leader to implement those cuts.

Democrats are working hard to avert the worst of these arbitrary cuts – cuts for which an overwhelming majority of Republicans in Congress voted.

We have a balanced proposal to replace those across-the-board cuts for this year with smart spending reductions, measures that close corporate tax loopholes and end wasteful subsidies and revenue from the very wealthiest among us – Americans making millions of dollars each year.

It is critical that Republicans and Democrats come together to find a balanced way to avert these drastic cuts. The consequences of the so-called sequester are real – not only for our national defense, but for millions of American families and businesses. More than 750,000 American jobs are at stake.

Across the country, tens of thousands of teachers, including thousands who work with disabled children, could be laid off. Seventy thousand children would be dropped from Head Start. And 373,000 adults living with serious mental illnesses and children dealing with severe emotional problems will go untreated.

Airports will close, due to a shortage of air traffic controllers. And lines at the airports that do stay open will stretch out the door, as TSA workers are furloughed. At the airport in Las Vegas, through which 40 million tourists from around the world travel each year, security lines will take an hour longer than they do today.

And from coast to coast, hundreds of thousands of civilian employees of the Department of Defense will face furloughs that will devastate their families and devastate our economy.

These effects won’t be felt all at once. They will be cumulative, and they will be painful.

Democrats want to work with Republicans to find a balanced, responsible way to reduce the deficit. Unfortunately, Republicans are standing in the way of a solution. They would sacrifice 750,000 American jobs rather than ask multi-millionaires to pay a penny more.

But three-quarters of Americans – including 56 percent of Republicans – are crying out for a balanced approach. With only three days left to protect American families and our economic recovery from this latest crisis, it’s time for Republicans to work toward a solution instead of being part of the problem.

“Nationwide, sequester cuts will cost more than 750,000 jobs… But Congress has the power to prevent these self-inflicted wounds.”

“Unfortunately, Republicans would rather let devastating cuts go into effect than close a single wasteful tax loophole.”

Washington, D.C. – Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid spoke on the Senate floor today about Sequestration. Below are his remarks as prepared for delivery.

The Senate has a great deal to accomplish this work period, including the long-delayed confirmation of former Senator Chuck Hagel to lead the Defense Department.

This week the Senate will also consider two plans to avert devastating, across-the-board cuts to military spending as well as domestic initiatives that keep American families and businesses strong. To give our economy a foundation for growth, Congress must replace these cuts – the so-called sequester – with a balanced approach to deficit reduction.

Senate Democrats would temporarily replace this harsh austerity with a combination of smart spending reductions and measures that close corporate tax loopholes, end wasteful subsidies and ask the wealthiest Americans to pay their fair share. And it would avoid harmful cuts that will hurt American families, harm military readiness and hinder our economic recovery.

Families and businesses in every state in the nation – in red states and blue states – are at risk because of these haphazard cuts. In the presiding officer’s home state, Virginia, 170 teachers who work with disabled children could lose their jobs, thousands of kids will go without life-saving vaccines and 90,000 Pentagon employees will be furloughed.

In Nevada, 120 teachers could lose their jobs, local law enforcement agencies will lose essential funding to prevent and prosecute crime and thousands of Defense Department employees will be furloughed – losing wages that support their families and our state’s economy.

Residents of the Republican Leader’s home state would also suffer. Kentucky will lose federal funding that helps police catch and punish domestic abusers, buys meals for needy seniors and keeps at-risk children in Head Start programs. And more than 11,000 Kentuckians who work for the Defense Department will be furloughed.

Nationwide, sequester cuts will cost more than 750,000 jobs. More than 70,000 little boys and girls will be kicked off Head Start. Meat inspectors, air traffic controllers, FBI officers and border patrol agents will be furloughed. Small businesses – which create two-thirds of all new jobs in this country – will lose access to crucial federal loans. Thousands of researchers working to cure cancer, diabetes and scores of other life-threatening diseases will lose their jobs.

Congress has the power to prevent these self-inflicted wounds. We have the power to turn off the sequester, protect American families and businesses and ensure our national defense.

In the House and in the Senate, Republicans and Democrats voted to impose these cuts. And it will take Republicans and Democrats working together to avert them. Twenty-eight Republicans in the Senate and 174 Republicans in the House voted to impose these painful cuts. If those same Republicans would work with Democrats to find a balanced way to reduce the deficit, Congress could avert the forced austerity of the sequester today – right away.

Unfortunately, Republicans would rather let devastating cuts go into effect than close a single wasteful tax loophole. They would rather cut Medicare, education and medical research than ask a single millionaire to pay a single dollar more in taxes.

The overwhelming majority of Americans want us to compromise before their neighbors, friends and family members get pink slips or furlough notices. The overwhelming majority of Americans – including 56 percent of Republicans – support Democrats’ balanced approach. Once again, the only Republicans rejecting a reasonable, balanced compromise are Republicans in this building – Republicans in Congress.

“President Obama is right: to give our economy a foundation for growth Congress must replace the sequester with a balanced approach to deficit reduction. Senate Democrats will soon vote on a plan to temporarily replace the harsh austerity of the sequester with a combination of smart spending cuts and measures that close wasteful corporate tax loopholes and subsidies, and ask the wealthiest Americans to pay their fair share.”

“But for Congress to act, Republicans must get off the sidelines. So far, Republicans have shown that they would rather let the sequester go into effect, or make even deeper cuts to Medicare, education and medical research, than close a single wasteful tax loophole. Republicans’ position is untenable, but only time will tell how many people must lose their jobs before Republicans listen to the overwhelming majority of Americans, and work with Democrats to forge a balanced approach.”