Floor Statements

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 420, which was submitted earlier today.

I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand adjourned until 10 a.m. on Tuesday, September 30; that following the prayer and pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, morning business be closed, and the Senate resume consideration of Calendar No. 115, S. 2296; finally, that the Senate recess from 12:30 p.m. until 2:15 p.m. to allow for the weekly conference meetings.

Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask that it stand adjourned under the previous order.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. President, the House has just passed a short-term, clean, nonpartisan continuing resolution to fund the government for a few additional weeks while we continue bipartisan work on appropriations bills, and, today, we will be voting on that clean, nonpartisan CR as well as on the CR the Democrats introduced Wednesday night.

On the floor yesterday, the Democrat leader said: The contrast between the Republican bill and the Democrat bill is glaring.

Well, he has got that right. The contrast between the Republican bill and the Democrat bill is glaring. The Republican bill is a clean, nonpartisan, short-term continuing resolution to fund the government to give us time to do the full appropriations process, and the Democrat bill is the exact opposite. It is what you might call not a clean CR--a dirty CR--laden down with partisan policies and appeals to the Democrats' leftist base.

When I became majority leader, I made it very clear that I wanted the Senate to return to the regular order consideration of appropriations bills. I was not and am not interested in funding the government through last-minute, backroom deals. The right way to fund the government, whenever humanly possible, is through regular order here in the Senate. That means taking appropriations bills through committee, where Republicans and Democrats alike have a chance to make their voices heard, and then bringing those bills to the Senate floor for more debate and amendment. That process is good for Senators of both parties, to say nothing of being best for the American people.

But Democrats can't take ``yes'' for an answer, so instead of working with Republicans to fund the government through a clean, nonpartisan continuing resolution so that we can get back to bipartisan negotiations on appropriations, Democrats are yielding to the desires of their rabidly leftist base and are attempting to hold government funding hostage to a long list of partisan demands.

The kind of clean CR Republicans have put forward used to be something Democrats embraced. In fact, Democrats voted in favor of clean CRs no fewer than 13 times during the Biden administration. Yet, now that Republicans are offering a clean CR, it is somehow a no-go. It is funny how that happens.

The Democrat leader has tried to defend his party's double standards by suggesting that this is a special case. Really? Really? Why is it always a special case with Democrats?

The truth is, the only thing special about this case is that Democrats can't stand the fact that the American people elected Donald Trump. So we all have to live with their endless temper tantrum, which apparently may now include shutting down the government.

I could spend some time talking about the measure Democrats put forward yesterday. I could talk about how it would allow noncitizens and able-bodied adults who won't work to stay on the Medicaid rolls, while at the same time ripping away the historic investment in home- and community-based services for Americans with disabilities. I could talk about how it would eliminate a transformational investment in rural healthcare, dilute Medicaid resources for those most in need, and a whole lot more. But suffice it to say that it is a fundamentally unserious proposal designed to appease Democrats' liberal base, and it has zero chance of making it through Congress. And they know that.

I can't stop Democrats from opposing our nonpartisan continuing resolution. If they want to shut down the government, they have the power to do so. But if they think they are going to gain political points from shutting down the government over a clean, nonpartisan CR-- something they voted for 13 times under the Biden administration--I would strongly urge them to think again.

The ball is in the Democrats' court. They can vote with the Republicans on a clean, nonpartisan CR to fund the government and allow the Senate to complete additional appropriations work or they can vote for their own partisan CR and move the country one step closer to a shutdown. For the sake of the American people, I hope they will choose to vote with us.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

I ask unanimous consent the quorum call be suspended.

I ask unanimous consent that if either of the votes on S. 2882 and H.R. 5371 fail of passage, it be in order for the two leaders to enter motions to reconsider without being on the prevailing side; further, that third readings with respect to the previous order be vitiated and that both bills be considered read a second time and immediately placed on the calendar.

Mr. President, I ask that the Senate execute the order from September 18, with respect to S. 2882 and H.R. 5371.

Mr. President, notwithstanding rule XXII, I ask unanimous consent that following the vote on passage of H.R. 5371, the cloture motion filed during yesterday's session of the Senate on Executive Calendar No. 410 ripen immediately; further, I ask that the mandatory quorum call with respect to the Waltz nomination be waived; and that if cloture is invoked, all debate time be expired and the Senate vote immediately on confirmation of the nomination; finally, that if confirmed, the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

I ask unanimous consent that these votes be 10-minute votes.

I ask for the yeas and nays.

Madam President, I enter a motion to reconsider passage of

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to executive session to consider the following nominations en bloc:

Calendar Nos. 433 through Calendar No. 437, Calendar No. 438, with the exception of Brig. Gen. Gary R. Charlton, II, Calendar Nos. 439 through 447,

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate be in a period of morning business with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be discharged from further consideration of S. 269 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

I ask unanimous consent that the Kennedy-Peters-Wyden substitute amendment at the desk be considered and agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed; and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to the en bloc consideration of the following resolutions, which are at the desk: S. Res. 414, S. Res. 415, and S. Res. 416.

I ask unanimous consent that the resolutions be agreed to, the preambles be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, all en bloc.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 417, which is at the desk.

Madam President, I know of no further debate.

I ask unanimous consent that the preamble be agreed to and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged

from further consideration and the Senate now proceed to S. Res. 225.

I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Madam President, I move to proceed to legislative session.