Majority Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On The Need To Pass Bipartisan Appropriations Legislation To Preserve Critical Investments And Avoid A Government Shutdown

Washington, D.C. – Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor regarding the importance of passing bipartisan appropriations bills and avoiding a government shutdown next Friday. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

We have ten days left for both parties in both chambers to finish the work of fully funding the government. Both parties continue making progress on appropriations related to Defense, Financial Services, Homeland Security, Labor and Health and Human Services and Education, the Legislative Branch, and State and Foreign Operations.

Both parties took a huge step last week when we passed the first six appropriations bills with strong bipartisan support. We protected important programs for moms and kids, for veterans, for the environment, for housing, and for so much more.

But the job is only halfway done, and passing the second group of appropriations bills, of course, is not going to be easy. We got a lot of bipartisan momentum last week when we avoided the government shutdown on Friday, but both sides are going to have to keep working in good faith to keep that momentum alive.

Just as the hard-right was tuned out in last week’s appropriations bills, they should be tuned out again because they clearly only delay the process instead of moving it along.

It’s going to take bipartisanship to ensure our military is fully supported and our troops taken care of. It’s going to take bipartisanship to fund the resources necessary to keep the Chinese Communist Party at bay. And it’s going to take bipartisanship to make sure we take care of military families, provide their kids with child care, health care, and everything else they need to live in dignity and strength.

These are the things at stake in the upcoming funding deadline: outcompeting the Chinese Communist Party, taking care of military families, keeping Americans safe around the world.

So, Democrats will continue working with Republicans to finish the job. That can only be done in a bipartisan way, we know that. Thanks to my colleagues Chair Murray, Vice Chair Collins.

Thanks to all the appropriators and their staffs, and my staff as well that worked so hard on this. Let’s make sure we keep last week’s momentum going so we can finish the job.

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