[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 147 (Tuesday, September 12, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S4360]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                             Appropriations

  Mr. President, on another matter, after a lot of hard work and 
compromise by appropriators on both sides--a salute goes to Patty 
Murray and Susan Collins--today, the Senate will take up the first 
procedural vote on a package of three appropriations bills: MILCON-
Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, and Transportation-HUD. Each of these 
bills passed unanimously out of committee, so I hope they will have 
strong bipartisan support here on the floor.
  And I mentioned both Chair Murray and Vice Chair Collins. I want to 
also thank all of the members of the Appropriations Committee for their 
great work. None of it was easy. They deserve great credit.
  The Senate appropriations, thus far, has been the gold standard for 
good governance. All 12 appropriations bills passed through regular 
order, with Democratic chairs and Republican ranking members working 
together to move bills forward.
  As the Senate continues the work of funding the government, the House 
gavels back in today with one very important responsibility: following 
the Senate's example and working in a bipartisan fashion to prevent a 
government shutdown. The American people don't want a shutdown. It 
would undo so much of our progress to lower costs, create millions and 
millions of jobs, and help our economy recover from the pandemic.
  So I, once again, implore the House Republican leadership to reject 
all-or-nothing tactics, to reject unrealistic expectations, and refuse 
to cave to the extremist demands we are hearing from 30 or so Members 
way out on the fringe.
  There is only one way we will avoid a costly government shutdown: 
bipartisanship. It is as simple as that. We have seen bipartisanship 
work in the Senate, and now the House must follow suit.
  I yield the floor.