[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 78 (Tuesday, May 17, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2833-S2834]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       THE APPROPRIATIONS PROCESS

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, last week, the Republican-led Senate 
passed, by an overwhelming majority, the first appropriations bill of 
the year--the energy security and water infrastructure funding bill. 
The Republican-led Senate did so in record early time. We began 
considering an annual appropriations bill this year at the earliest 
point in 40 years--40 years--and then we passed an annual 
appropriations bill this year at the earliest point in 40 years. 
Passage of this bill also marks the first time the Senate has passed an 
individual energy and water funding measure since 2009.
  This shows what is possible with a little cooperation and regular 
order. By returning to regular order, we are better able to make better 
decisions about how taxpayer dollars are spent through the 
appropriations bills.
  Here is what we mean when we talk about returning to regular order. 
We mean working in committee and allowing Senators from both sides to 
have their voices heard. We mean bringing bills to the floor and 
empowering more Members to offer suggestions they think might make a 
good bill even better. We mean working through hours of debate and 
deliberation, processing amendments from both sides, and then arriving 
at a final bill that actually passes.
  That is just what we did here, and it resulted in the record early 
passage of an energy and water appropriations bill that will help 
support economic development, waterways infrastructure, and energy 
programs--initiatives that are important in my home State of Kentucky 
and in States across our country.
  So I want to thank Senator Alexander for working diligently with 
Senator Feinstein to move this bill forward. They collaborated with 
both Democratic and Republican colleagues to ensure a fair process and 
an outcome that a majority of Senators could support.
  I also want to thank Chairman Cochran and Ranking Member Mikulski for 
working within the Committee on Appropriations to move appropriations 
measures so early this year. We have already begun considering two more 
of them this week. The first measure is the transportation and housing 
infrastructure bill. It will make smart investments in important 
infrastructure priorities. It will strengthen our surface 
transportation network and help make air travel safer, more efficient, 
and more reliable.
  I thank Senator Collins for her dedicated leadership on this 
important legislation.
  The second measure is the Veterans and Military Construction funding 
bill. It will increase accountability at the VA and help ensure 
veterans receive the health care and benefits they rely on. It will 
advance vital national security projects, such as missile defense, and 
help ensure military families are supported with housing, schools, and 
health facilities to serve them.
  This is the result of great work by a true champion of veterans--
Senator Kirk. Senator Kirk and Senator Collins both worked hard to move 
these bills out of the Committee on Appropriations with unanimous 
bipartisan support. Now they are working hard to pass them together out 
here on the floor. They have already lined up several amendments that 
we will consider later today.
  I would like to say a few words about one of these issues in 
particular. Both Republicans and Democrats agree that preventing the 
spread of Zika is a bipartisan priority. That is why Members from both 
parties have been looking at different approaches to properly address 
the situation. They worked through the best avenue to address the 
funding that may be needed to do so--the appropriations process--and 
came up with several different approaches for us to consider later 
today.
  One amendment is from Senators Blunt and Murray. It is a targeted 
approach that focuses on immediate needs while also providing resources 
for longer term goals, such as a vaccine. It includes accountability 
measures and represents a notable departure

[[Page S2834]]

from our Democratic colleagues' initial position. It is good to see our 
Democratic friends compromise.
  Another amendment is from Senators Cornyn and Johnson. Their enhanced 
approach builds upon the appropriators' work by responsibly offsetting 
Zika funding with funds that have been set aside for public health and 
prevention purposes. It would also remove redtape and help promote 
mosquito control, which is the best way to keep Americans safe from 
this virus in the near term while a vaccine is under development. The 
House is also advancing its own paid-for Zika measure this very week.
  So we will take several votes today. We will continue moving forward 
with the appropriations process, and we will address Zika funding in 
that context because keeping Americans safe and healthy is a top 
priority for all of us.

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