[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 29 (Thursday, February 14, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1337-S1338]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           GOVERNMENT FUNDING

  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, last night, our colleagues Chairman 
Shelby and Ranking Member Leahy filed the final text of a bipartisan, 
bicameral legislative agreement. For the past couple of weeks, in 
conference with their House counterparts, they have worked in good 
faith to reach a compromise to address urgent priorities, including 
funding for our Nation's border security.
  The product of this work is a compromise that no side will view as a 
perfect deal. For instance, I am frustrated by House Democrats' cynical 
opposition to including commonsense extensions of the Violence Against 
Women Act and other important items. Nevertheless, this agreement is 
something both sides should view as an important step, and today, I 
hope we will vote to advance it.
  When the Senate votes on the agreement, we will be voting to avoid a 
second partial shutdown and provide the certainty of a fully 
functioning Federal Government. We will be voting to deliver another 
downpayment on the President's commitment to securing our Nation's 
borders and keeping American communities safe. And we will do it free 
from the influence of poison pills that sought to derail progress and 
stifle compromise.
  To be sure, in recent months, we have seen the radical left go out of 
its way to try to gum up the works. Even the Speaker of the House threw 
her support behind wild assertions that tried-and-true methods of 
securing sovereign borders were now immoral. They said there wouldn't 
be more than one dollar for border barriers. They said there should be 
fewer tools for the men and women who enforce our immigration laws. 
Fortunately, none of that nonsense has carried the day.
  So here we are, with a solemn deal in front of us. As the Senate 
prepares to vote later today, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to 
Chairman Shelby, along with Ranking Member Leahy and my colleagues on 
the Appropriations Committee. This legislation will mark success for 
our bipartisan process by finalizing all the regular appropriations 
bills for the fiscal year. Thanks, as well, to Shannon Hines and the 
entire Appropriations staff, whose hard work made this agreement and 
all of last year's progress possible.
  Later today, I hope each of my colleagues will join me in moving 
forward with the agreement produced by this hard work, and the 
President will sign it into law.

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