[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 187 (Thursday, November 21, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S6730]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                             Appropriations

  Madam President, on appropriations, later today, the Senate is set to 
pass a continuing resolution to fund the government through December 
20, which will send it to the President's desk. I am optimistic that 
the passage of the continuing resolution today will be something from 
which Congress can build--a sign that appropriators from both sides of 
the aisle will be ready to work together to settle government funding 
by the end of the calendar year.
  With another month's time at our disposal, the appropriations process 
can now go down one of two paths. On the first path, President Trump 
stays out of our way and gives Congress the space to work together and 
find agreement. On the second path, President Trump stomps his feet, 
makes impossible demands, and prevents his party--the Republicans--from 
coming to a fair arrangement.
  The first path leads to a bipartisan deal on appropriations and 
guaranteed, long-term funding for both Republican and Democratic 
priorities. The second path leads, as we all know, to another Trump 
government shutdown. I hope the passage of the continuing resolution 
will be the first step down the bipartisan path that will lead to 
successful agreement by the end of the year.