[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 136 (Friday, October 4, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7181-S7182]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST--H.J. RES. 72

  Mr. CRUZ. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of H.J. Res. 72, making 
continuing appropriations for veterans' benefits for the fiscal year 
2014, which was received from the House.
  I ask further consent that the measure be read three times and passed 
and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the 
table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, reserving the right to object, the junior 
Senator from Texas has offered a unanimous consent request that we take 
care of veterans in this shutdown of government. I would note that 
there is no Senator or Member of Congress who does not care deeply 
about making sure our veterans are taken care of, including this 
Senator from the State of Washington.
  As the Presiding Officer knows and our colleagues know, I have spoken 
often of my own father who was a World War II veteran and who spent 
most of his life in a wheelchair and received a Purple Heart. I know 
the sacrifices our veterans make.
  As chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee previously, I fought 
to make sure every veteran had what they need, to make sure we said 
more than just thank you but provided them what they need. So I know 
our veterans well.
  What I also know about our veterans is that they, above everyone 
else, are suffering. They went to serve our country and said we will 
take care of the rest of you at our own personal sacrifice. They would 
be the last to come before us and say, Take care of me before everyone 
else. They would say to

[[Page S7182]]

us, Take care of our fellow man and leave no one behind.
  So I am going to ask that the Senator modify his request and do what 
our military has always asked their fellow man to do and leave no one 
behind. Our request will ensure that everyone who fights for our 
country, takes care of our country, works for our country in 
emergencies, depends on our country to make sure they have the 
opportunity every one of us has here is able to have that opportunity 
and they are not held hostage to a government shutdown, so we can get 
back to work and solve our country's problems. We need to end this tea 
party shutdown and we can do it with the request I will ask right now.
  I have a modification to suggest to the request of the junior Senator 
from Texas. I ask unanimous consent that this request be modified as 
follows: That an amendment, which is at the desk, be agreed to; that 
the joint resolution, as amended, then be read a third time and passed; 
and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the 
table, with no intervening action or debate. This amendment is the text 
that passed the Senate and it is a clean continuing resolution for the 
entire government and is something that is already over in the House 
and reportedly now has the support of the majority of the Members of 
the House of Representatives.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Does the Senator from Texas so modify his 
request?
  Mr. CRUZ. Reserving the right to object, I thank my friend from 
Washington State. I know she talked about leaving no man or woman 
behind. I would note the continuing resolution the House has passed to 
fully fund the Veterans' Administration treats our veterans the same 
way the House and Senate have already treated active-duty military.
  Just a few days ago, this body unanimously passed a bill that said 
the men and women of the military would be paid. Unfortunately, it 
seems to be the position of the majority in this body that veterans 
should be treated not as well as our active-duty military and, in 
particular, that the full funding of the VA should be held hostage to 
every other priority the Democrats in this Chamber must have.
  I understand the Democrats in this Chamber are committed to ObamaCare 
with all of their hearts, minds, and souls, but the veterans of this 
Nation should not be held hostage to that commitment. It is likely, 
given the majority's refusal to negotiate, refusal to compromise, 
refusal even to talk to find a middle ground--it is likely that this 
shutdown, instigated by the Democratic majority, will continue for some 
time, and during that time we ought to be able to find common ground 
that, at the very minimum, our veterans shouldn't pay the price.
  If moments from now my friend from Washington simply does not object, 
by the end of the day the VA will be fully funded. If, as we all 
expect, she does object--if she repeats the objection her majority 
leader and her party have made throughout the course of this week--then 
much of the VA will remain shut down because of that objection.
  She has asked if we can reopen the entire Federal Government. If the 
request is not granted to refund every single priority in the Federal 
Government that the majority party wants, then the VA will remain 
without sufficient funds.
  I find that highly objectionable, and I object.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
  Is there objection to the original request?
  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I object on behalf of all Americans who 
should not be left behind.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.

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