[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 43 (Thursday, March 10, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1069-S1070]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           GOVERNMENT FUNDING

  Mr. SCHUMER. Madam President, last night, the House of 
Representatives passed the strongest, boldest, and most significant 
government funding package we have seen in a very long time, bringing 
us one step closer to fully funding the government for the 2022 fiscal 
year.
  As we all know, funding the government is a basic responsibility of 
Congress, but rarely does this responsibility arrive at such a critical 
moment for our country and for the world. War has erupted in Europe, 
and Americans are looking to relief from rising costs, and this package 
is critical for facing these challenges.
  After weeks of hard work, I am pleased to report that this bipartisan 
funding package represents a robust and unapologetic investment in the 
American people: It will give our troops a raise, provide more money 
for schools and Head Start programs and Pell Grants, reauthorize the 
Violence Against Women Act, fund the President's Cancer Moonshot, and 
open the floodgates for funding the bipartisan infrastructure law. This 
funding bill is overflowing with very good things for our troops, for 
American jobs, for our families, and for America.
  Once this bill arrives at the Senate, Republicans must work with 
Democrats to pass the bill as soon as possible--hopefully, tonight. 
There is every reason in the world to believe that we can arrive at a 
path forward quickly.

[[Page S1070]]

  For one, the people of Ukraine need our immediate help, and this 
omnibus is the quickest and most direct way of getting them the help 
fast. At nearly $14 billion, Congress will approve more than double--
more than double--what the administration originally requested for 
Ukraine aid, and that is a huge accomplishment. We took the President's 
original request for Ukrainian aid, examined it and added to it.
  I can confidently say every last penny of this aid package will be 
much needed and well spent. It will provide food, medicine, shelter, 
and support for over 2 million refugees and resources for Ukraine's 
ruined economy. It will also inject billions into military assistance. 
It will enable weapons transfers like Javelins and Stingers. It will 
reassure and strengthen NATO and add teeth to our defenses against 
Russia's malicious cyber warfare.
  And to every corrupt Russian oligarch who has dined off Putin's 
regime for years, beware. This package will increase the government's 
tools for hunting you down and holding you accountable.
  The Ukrainian people are fighting for their lives and fighting for 
the survival of their young democracy. Congress has a moral obligation 
to stand behind them as they resist the evils of Vladimir Putin and his 
campaign of carnage.
  The 2022 government funding bill is one way we are keeping that 
promise, and for that reason alone, it should pass the Senate as 
quickly as possible.
  But on the homefront, as I already mentioned, there are lots of 
important things. This package increases investments across nearly 
every single domestic priority, very much needed.
  I am particularly thrilled to say that, after a decade of false 
starts, this package will finally reauthorize the Violence Against 
Women Act, which I originally helped write and pass when I was a 
Congressman back in 1994. Unfortunately, this very needed, important 
bill to protect those who are abused has languished in limbo for far 
too long. VAWA is one of the most important pieces of legislation of 
the past 30 years, and once it is reauthorized, it will once again 
provide lifesaving support for countless women who face sexual assault 
and domestic abuse. I thank Senators Feinstein, Durbin, Ernst, 
Murkowski, and all the cosponsors--bipartisan--for helping to bring 
this law back to life.
  Now, of course, nobody argues that this package is perfect. I am 
deeply disappointed--deeply disappointed--that the administration's 
request for more COVID funding failed to make it into the House bill, 
but we are going to keep fighting to make sure we get that money 
approved as soon as possible.
  COVID funding right now is all about being prepared. It will provide 
funding for vaccines and therapeutics and testing, which means it will 
be much easier to keep schools open, to keep businesses open, and to 
keep life closer to normal than it was during Delta and Omicron. So we 
will keep working on COVID relief. It is very much needed.
  Now, we are not over the finish line yet, but I want to thank 
appropriators from both sides of the aisle--bipartisan--for putting 
this package together, never an easy task. I especially thank Chairman 
Leahy for his leadership and his counsel over the course of this 
process, and I thank Ranking Member Shelby as well, and my House 
colleagues, too, for working in good faith to make this bill possible.
  It has not been easy to draft this truly robust package, but after 
years of needless chaos and uncertainty under Donald Trump, this year 
Congress has been able to work together on a bipartisan basis to fund 
the government in a serious way. Now the Senate must follow through in 
finishing the job by approving this bill quickly and sending it to the 
President's desk.

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