[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 1 (Thursday, January 3, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7-S8]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            THE NEW CONGRESS

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, as we begin this new Congress together, 
one fact is abundantly clear--the American people need Democrats and 
Republicans to work together.
  Today illustrates that very point. Last November, voters expanded our 
Republican majority in the Senate but ensured that 60 votes will only 
be attainable by working across the aisle, and incoming Speaker Pelosi 
will be leading a new Democratic majority over in the House.
  This is the landscape in which we will be operating. Fortunately, the 
record of the 115th Congress illustrates just how much is possible when 
both sides make bipartisan collaboration a priority.
  In the Senate, our good-faith efforts yielded a historic tally of 
legislative

[[Page S8]]

accomplishments on behalf of the American people. We passed landmark 
legislation to help heal the wounds of the opioid epidemic. We 
delivered measures to help lower prescription drug prices and expand 
access to safe treatments. We reached a major agreement to rebuild 
America's military and designed VA reforms that will help our Nation 
better keep its solemn promises to the brave men and women who have 
served. We brought a bipartisan scalpel to financial regulations so 
fewer of Main Street's local lenders will get trapped in the maze of 
Wall Street's rule book. We reasserted a commitment to regular order 
appropriations. We laid the groundwork for rebuilding American 
infrastructure. We delivered certainty and predictability to farming 
communities across our country.
  So we know the Senate, with this Republican majority, is fertile soil 
for big bipartisan accomplishments. The question is, Will the newly 
Democratic House join in this good momentum or bring it to a 
standstill? It is a clear choice, and it will be clear to the American 
people watching all this at home: Good governance or political 
performance art? The public interest or political spite? Policymaking 
or Presidential harassment?
  The first test is already upon us. Just yesterday, I was glad to join 
House and Senate leaders of both parties in a meeting with President 
Trump at the White House to discuss border security and outstanding 
appropriations.
  This meeting included a briefing on the urgent crisis at our southern 
border. The facts on the ground are truly striking.
  As the Border Patrol Chief testified before the Judiciary Committee a 
few weeks ago, the Border Patrol apprehended more than 800--800--gang 
members just last year, a 50-percent increase over the previous year. 
Methamphetamine seizures are up 75 percent since fiscal year 2015.
  Importantly, we also know that in each of our four CBP sectors where 
physical barriers have been improved or expanded, illegal traffic has 
dropped by at least--now listen to this--90 percent in these areas 
where there are physical barriers, illegal traffic has dropped by 90 
percent.
  These are the facts on which the entire conversation must turn. Yet, 
as yesterday marked the 12th day of this ongoing partial government 
shutdown, our Democratic colleagues seemed less concerned with these 
facts than with their unreasonable political standoff with President 
Trump.
  So for the benefit of all involved, let me restate the terms of 
engagement; in other words, where we are. We need a bicameral, 
bipartisan compromise solution. We need an arrangement that can check 
these three boxes: pass the House, achieve the support of at least 60 
Senators, and get a Presidential signature. This is not complicated. 
That is how you make a law.
  The legislation that House Democrats reportedly plan to vote on later 
today is, in my view, not a serious attempt to check all three of those 
boxes. In fact, it ignores the bipartisan conference negotiations and 
progress made on these spending bills over the last month. So I would 
call it political theater, not productive lawmaking.
  I have made it clear on several occasions--and let me say it again--
the Senate will not take up any proposal that does not have a real 
chance of passing this Chamber and getting a Presidential signature. So 
let's not waste the time. Let's not get off on the wrong foot with 
House Democrats using their platform to produce political statements 
rather than serious solutions. Let's pick up where we left off and 
dedicate this 116th Congress to the spirit of bipartisan collaboration 
to create more victories for the American people.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Young). The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Hoeven). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

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