Washington, D.C. – Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the floor on passing appropriations legislation before Friday’s deadline. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks which can also be viewed here:
Last night, the House passed the six appropriations bills with an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote, 339-85. Last night, the Senate took the first step to advance the appropriations bills via voice vote, which I hope portends more bipartisan cooperation moving forward.
The watchwords for the Senate will be cooperation and speed as we work to pass these appropriations bills before tomorrow night’s deadline. And it’s noteworthy that a majority of both parties in the House, a majority of even the Republicans, supported this legislation.
Of course, the process never is easy in divided government, but with hard work, cooperation, and persistence, good things can happen if we put working together before other extraneous and often destructive issues.
The Senate will continue our work on these appropriations bills today, so we can finish the package before tomorrow night’s deadline. We’re close to the finish line, but it will take bipartisan cooperation to get us there.
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