The Senate has made progress toward reopening the federal government, according to remarks delivered by U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Senate Majority Whip. Speaking in Washington, D.C., Barrasso outlined recent legislative efforts that aim to restore funding for key programs and end the ongoing government shutdown.
“Yesterday, the Senate took a major step forward on the path to reopening the government. The bill before us is simple. It’s clean, it’s bipartisan, it’s a continuing resolution, and it funds the government through January. It’s paired with three full-year appropriations bills. So, let me repeat that. Appropriations bills for the full next year. Now, these are bills that have already passed the Senate with bipartisan support – broad bipartisan support I would add – and they were negotiated on a bipartisan basis with the House. They’re fully funded in terms of veterans’ care. And this is critical, tomorrow is Veterans Day, our veterans need to know we stand behind them. It also fully funding on food assistance – SNAP and the Women, Infants, and Children. That’s what we’re debating here on the Floor of the United States Senate. I believe it’s reasonable, it’s responsible, and it’s ready to go,” Barrasso said.
Barrasso addressed how the shutdown has affected American families across various sectors: “Let’s remember that this shutdown has caused serious pain to many, many American families. People have stood in line around the block at food banks all across the country, and that’s because 42 million Americans missed their SNAP payments. Flights were delayed and canceled because control towers are understaffed, people there working are overworked. TSA agents and air traffic controllers have been working for the last six weeks without getting paid. Yesterday, there were 2,300 flight cancellations. It looks like it might be even more than that today. Yesterday was one of the worst travel days in the last two years and today may be worse.”
He continued by emphasizing economic impacts: “This shutdown has hurt our economy, and it has hurt our country. The government is finally on the path to reopening. This is the right result. This is what the American people need. They need certainty, and opening the government provides that level of certainty that the American people want, especially heading into the holidays.”
Barrasso expressed gratitude toward colleagues who supported efforts to reopen: “So I want to thank President Trump. I want to thank my colleagues in the Senate on both sides of the aisle who voted to support that… President Trump’s leadership protected taxpayers and continues to protect the country.”
Looking ahead at future legislative work in Congress regarding appropriations bills for a full year of funding for federal operations—including military investment—Barrasso stated: “Now let’s be clear about what comes next… There is a pressing need to strengthen our economy, to secure our border, to invest in our military… Republicans are making appropriations process work again.”
He also criticized previous approaches by Democratic leadership concerning budget procedures: “Last year Senator Schumer refused to bring a single appropriations bill to Floor even though Appropriations Committee passed out bipartisan – many times unanimous – appropriations bills…”
Barrasso concluded his remarks by turning attention toward healthcare policy debates likely ahead: “The debate ahead is also about many failures of Obama healthcare law – known as Obamacare… Healthcare in America is broken… Obamacare premiums have gone up 221 percent… Democrats have no answer for that other than more direct subsidies directly from federal government directly into bank accounts insurance companies.”
“It’s time to reopen government because Americans have waited suffered too long,” he said.
