[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 207 (Wednesday, January 2, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8051-S8052]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY LEADER

  (Mr. GARDNER assumed the Chair.)
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Young). The majority leader is recognized.


                             Appropriations

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I would like to wish my colleagues 
happy new year. It is a time for new beginnings. Tomorrow, we will kick 
off the 116th Congress.
  Of course, there is urgent business that the new House and the new 
Senate will need to tackle immediately. Democrats will finally have to 
get serious about border security so a government funding agreement can 
be reached that can pass the House, earn 60 votes in the Senate, and 
get a Presidential signature. All three of those things are needed to 
make a law. One partisan vote in the House tomorrow is not going to 
solve anything.
  I made it clear to the Speaker that we are not interested in having 
show votes in the Senate. We are interested in bringing up something 
the House has passed, 60 Senators will support, and the President will 
sign; in other words, make a law.
  The legislation House Democrats are reportedly planning to introduce 
and have voted on tomorrow will not be a serious contribution to the 
negotiations that are going on between the administration and the 
incoming Democratic majority in the House. It isn't comprehensive. It 
ignores the needs of border security. It is exactly the kind of 
proposal you would expect if the incoming House Democrats were choosing 
to stage a political sideshow rather than doing the hard work of 
helping to govern the country; in other words, it is a total 
nonstarter.
  Will these new Democrats come to Washington ready to roll up their 
sleeves, work together, and make laws or are they going to waste time 
on partisan show votes that will do nothing to move the country in a 
forward direction? That is the question, political performance art or 
responsible governance?
  We will get an early signal in the next few days, but let me make it 
perfectly clear one more time, as I have

[[Page S8052]]

said consistently for the last 2 weeks: The Senate will not waste its 
time considering a Democratic bill which cannot pass this Chamber and 
which the President will not sign.


                              Nominations

  Mr. President, on another matter, I am pleased to announce this 
evening that the Democratic leader and I have reached an agreement to 
confirm a number of the administration's nominees. In a few moments, I 
will be asking unanimous consent to confirm a series of several well-
qualified individuals to serve in important executive branch posts. 
Each of them will be confirmed. I am glad the President will have more 
of his rightful team in place, and I am glad this group of newly 
confirmed nominees will be able to get to work on important business 
for the American people.

                          ____________________