[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 184 (Wednesday, November 30, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S6868]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                       Business Before the Senate

  Mr. President, now on Respect for Marriage, yesterday, our work of 
making America a more perfect place took a momentous step forward as 
the Senate passed the bipartisan Respect for Marriage Act. When the 
vote closed, the feeling on the floor was jubilation and relief, not 
just for ourselves and our families but for the millions of Americans 
across the country whose rights will be better protected under this 
bill.
  The Respect for Marriage Act now goes to the House of Representatives 
for what I hope is a quick vote, and then it is on to the President's 
desk. And, let's remember, Joe Biden was one of the early proponents of 
marriage equality, even when it got some others not so happy with him.
  Passing the Respect for Marriage Act would not have happened without 
the leadership in this Senate of so many of my colleagues: Senators 
Baldwin and Sinema--and Feinstein, who originally authored this 
landmark bill--and my Republican colleagues Senators Collins, Portman, 
and Tillis. I thank them all.
  The entire process was also a vindication of a central premise Senate 
Democrats and I have embraced this Congress. I have always said I have 
a hierarchy: First, try to get things done in a bipartisan way whenever 
possible. It is far better to find a way to pass legislation that will 
help Americans than to hold show votes that have no hope of becoming 
law, and that proved true on marriage equality. My No. 1 priority in 
the end is to find ways to get bills passed in the Senate.
  So I hope that yesterday's vote is a signal that both parties can 
keep working together on difficult issues in the next Congress. If our 
Republican colleagues can shake off the MAGA wing of their party that 
is holding Republicans down, we can get a lot done. And it is obvious 
to everyone that there are many Republican Senators who don't embrace 
MAGA, and we say to them: We want to keep working with you. It is 
necessary in order to keep tackling the big problems that face our 
country. And if Republicans don't follow the MAGA path in the next 
Congress, it will go a long way to restoring people's faith that 
Congress can work together and even disagree without being 
disagreeable.

  And we don't need to wait for the new year to continue working 
together. In about 16 days or so, government funding is going to run 
out unless Congress acts to prevent a shutdown. Yesterday, I sat down 
with the President, with Speaker Pelosi, with Leader McConnell, and 
with Leader McCarthy to discuss how we can ensure that a shutdown is 
avoided and that government is properly funded. For the most part, I 
was heartened and encouraged by the conversation.
  Speaking with Leader McConnell, we both believe that we must do 
everything possible to pass a yearlong funding package, and we both 
prefer an omnibus, though we have different views of what should be in 
it and we do need to come together on those. But both Leader McConnell 
and I have said that an omnibus is the best way for supporting our 
troops, supporting our allies in Ukraine, and keeping Americans safe at 
home and abroad.
  A CR, meanwhile, is horrible news for our troops in uniform because 
it will throw their families into great uncertainty and severely hinder 
their ability to keep America safe. It will also allow some of the 
countries that are not our allies, but adversaries in many ways, to 
gain a leg up.
  With so many different new technologies, do we really want to give 
the Chinese Communist Party the chance to outcompete and outmaneuver us 
in the Indo-Pacific? Do we want our troops to protect us with one hand 
tied behind their backs, while our adversaries are operating at full 
capacity? Of course not, but that is the danger we face if we don't 
pass an omnibus.
  Everyone is going to have to give something if we want to 
successfully fund the government for a full year, and while I am 
encouraged by the good will so far, we have a lot of difficult work to 
do before both parties reach a final agreement.
  So just as both parties cooperated to pass the Respect for Marriage 
Act yesterday here in the Senate and just as we have cooperated on 
chips, gun safety, veterans' benefits, and so much more over the last 6 
months, let's finish this session by passing an omnibus on a bipartisan 
basis.