[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 209 (Thursday, December 21, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S8188]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         FUNDING THE GOVERNMENT

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, on another matter, the Senate has 
important business to conclude this week. The American people are 
counting on Congress to reach a government funding agreement. If we 
were to fail to reach an agreement, we would be failing to ensure that 
our all-volunteer Armed Forces have all of the resources they need to 
protect our country in the face of myriad threats from all around the 
globe. We would be subjecting programs that American families rely on 
to draconian sequestration cuts that none of us want to take effect.

  The Senate stands ready to take up an agreement as soon as one 
originates over in the House. We are ready to work together, across the 
aisle, to ensure there is no lapse in funding for critical services. 
Furthermore, my Republican colleagues in the Senate stand ready and 
eager to ensure full and long-term funding for the Children's Health 
Insurance Program. There are 9 million children who receive coverage 
through CHIP. They and their parents deserve to know that Congress is 
committed to them.
  Republicans agree. We support a provision that would fund CHIP not 
just for a few weeks but for 5 years. Unfortunately, our Democratic 
colleagues are unwilling to make that commitment to American families. 
Thus far, they have opposed all of our efforts to include 5 years of 
CHIP funding in this week's agreement. Whatever partisan politics are 
leading my colleagues on the other side to this mystifying conclusion, 
it is time to put them aside and do right by our constituents. I hope 
we can all work together and give Americans the peace of mind they 
deserve, particularly going into the Christmas season.

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