[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 208 (Thursday, December 2, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8875-S8876]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022--Resumed

  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under the previous order, the 
Senate will resume consideration of H.R. 4350, which the clerk will 
report.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 4350) to authorize appropriations for fiscal 
     year 2022 for military activities of the Department of 
     Defense, for military construction, and for defense 
     activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military 
     personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other 
     purposes.

  Pending:

       Reed-Inhofe modified amendment No. 3867, in the nature of a 
     substitute.
       Reed amendment No. 4775 (to amendment No. 3867), to modify 
     effective dates relating to the Assistant Secretary of the 
     Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration and the 
     Service Acquisition Executive of the Department of the Air 
     Force for Space Systems and Programs.


                   Recognition of the Majority Leader

  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. Rosen). The majority leader is recognized.


                             Senate Agenda

  Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, I begin this morning with some good 
news. I am happy to say that last night I reached an agreement with 
Leader McConnell, the Speaker, and the chairs of the House 
Appropriations Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committee on a 
continuing resolution that will keep the Federal Government funded 
through mid-February of next year.
  This is a good compromise that allows an appropriate amount of time 
for both parties in both Chambers to finish negotiations on 
appropriations. As I said, this is a good compromise that allows an 
appropriate amount of time for both parties in both Chambers to finish 
negotiations on appropriations.
  This morning, the House will start the process to take up this 
government funding measure, and we hope they can have it passed through 
their Chamber by the end of today.
  Unfortunately, it seems Republican dysfunction could be a roadblock 
to averting an unnecessary and dangerous government shutdown. Democrats 
and most Republicans, including the Republican leader, have said they 
don't want to see a Republican shutdown. We hope cooler heads will 
prevail.
  Just as we saw with the NDAA, a few individual Republican Senators 
appear determined to derail this important legislation because of their 
opposition to the President's lifesaving vaccine guidelines critical to 
healing our country in the middle of a pandemic.
  Let's be clear: If there is a shutdown, it will be a Republican anti-
vaccine shutdown. Democrats want to get the government funded as soon 
as possible. It was not easy to reach this deal. It took a while to get 
Republican leadership on board. But I am glad that we have gotten it 
done. I thank my colleagues on the other side of the aisle for working 
with us to find a path forward.
  Now all that is left are a few lone holdouts who are raising 
objections that are doomed to fail and which can be debated elsewhere. 
There is no reason we should have a Republican shutdown. I have worked 
with the Republican leader on an agreement that will

[[Page S8876]]

avoid one. Now, again, I hope cooler heads will prevail on the other 
side so we can keep the government funded before tomorrow's deadline.


                               H.R. 4350

  Now, Madam President, on the NDAA, once again, Republican 
dysfunction--that seems to be what is going on in the other Chamber, 
not by all Republican Members but by some who seem to run the show--the 
Republican show, that is. Republican dysfunction has, sadly, caused 
immense damage on another routine, important, and largely bipartisan 
priority, the NDAA.
  Democrats have been working in good faith with the other side for 
weeks--since before the Thanksgiving holiday--to secure an agreement to 
approve our annual Defense bill. Last night, because of the objections 
of one Republican, the NDAA has, once again, been prevented from moving 
forward.
  As I said last night, the amendment pushed by my colleague would 
certainly raise a blue slip objection in the House and, thus, kill the 
entire NDAA. Now, the Senator from Florida says there are no blue slip 
issues, but this isn't a matter of opinion. The authority here rests 
with the Ways and Means Committee in the House, and they have stated, 
unequivocally, that his proposal would raise blue slip issues. There is 
no objection to the substance of the amendment presented by the senior 
Senator from Florida, but it simply would violate the provision in our 
Constitution that requires revenue measures to originate in the House. 
Other Members had amendments with similar issues, but they worked with 
the Ways and Means Committee in the House to resolve them because they 
are the arbiter. Senator Rubio has not done the same.
  It is unfortunate that this misguided demand of a single Republican 
Senator is preventing this important legislation to support our 
national security from moving in the Senate, particularly in light of 
the fact that so many amendments were allowed to be offered by Senator 
Reed and Senator Inhofe. The number of amendments that would be voted 
on--let me repeat--would exceed the total number of amendments--the 
total number of amendments--that were allowed on the NDAA under the 4 
years of Republican leadership during Donald Trump's Presidency.
  So to say that we are in a process that is unbalanced or unfair is 
totally false. It is just, simply, one person holding it up. For the 
sake of our troops and our families, I hope this Republican dysfunction 
can be addressed.

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