[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 197 (Monday, December 19, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7271-S7272]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                Omnibus

  On the omni, appropriators are racing around the clock to finish the 
last major item on our to-do list for 2022: an

[[Page S7272]]

omnibus package that will keep the government funded into next fall.
  It was another extremely busy weekend for appropriators--the Members 
and their staffs. I was on the phone all day Friday, Saturday, Sunday. 
Every 10 minutes, another call with my colleagues, with the committees, 
and my staff--my great staff--who hardly slept this weekend to help 
finalize a deal.
  Sunday night was the first night of Hanukkah, but, unfortunately, I 
had to spend 75 percent of that night on the phone with my colleagues 
and staff. My family, of course, was very understanding, and I 
appreciate that.
  Sleep has been hard to come by for many who are part of the 
appropriations process. And while the world enjoyed a truly heart-
stopping World Cup final, staff were on the clock working diligently to 
keep our government funded. I thank all of them for their great work.
  Much of my focus today, tonight, and tomorrow will remain on getting 
the omnibus done. Despite having a little more work to do, the omnibus 
continues heading in the right direction. We must wrap the whole 
process up and vote on final passage before the end of the week.
  It won't be easy, but we are working hard so we can get it done 
before the end of the week and be with our families for Christmas.
  Once the omnibus comes before the Senate, I am confident that both 
sides will find things in it they can enthusiastically support. We all 
know the omnibus will be the best way to ensure kids, our veterans, our 
small businesses, and our military continue to have full access to 
vital services and programs they depend on.
  It is not going to be everything anybody wants, that is for sure, but 
it is far preferable to a CR, which will leave the country high and 
dry. And it is certainly preferable to a government shutdown.
  The omnibus will also allow the Senate to pass the Electoral Count 
Act into law, which my colleagues on the Rules Committee, Senators 
Klobuchar and Blunt, have done great work on. And finalizing the 
omnibus is critical--absolutely critical--for supporting our friends in 
Ukraine and for fully implementing bipartisan bills like CHIPS and 
Science and the PACT Act and more.
  So just as both parties cooperated on bipartisan achievements like 
CHIPS, gun safety, veterans' benefits, Respect for Marriage, and so 
much more, let's finish this session by passing an omnibus by working 
together in good faith.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
order for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.