[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 4 (Tuesday, January 9, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S23-S24]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                       Business Before the Senate

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, as the Senate begins our work in 2024, 
three things are true. First, there is a lot we have to do at the start 
of the year, including funding the government, working towards a 
national security supplemental, confirming more nominees through the 
Senate, and much more.
  We made good progress on many bipartisan bills last year, which we 
would like to bring to the floor this year.
  Second, the only way we are going to get anything of consequence done 
is through bipartisan cooperation.
  Third, the Senate is off to a good start.
  A few days ago, I announced, alongside Speaker Johnson, that 
congressional leaders have reached a significant milestone for 
government funding. We have agreed to top-line funding numbers for 
fiscal year 2024. This now clears the path for appropriators to begin 
drafting the 12 appropriations bills.
  Yesterday, I spoke with Chairman Murray, and then I met in my office 
with Leader McConnell, and we are all on the same page that we want to 
move as quickly as we can to finish the appropriations process.
  We have only 10 days until the first deadline on January 19. So both 
parties must continue working together to minimize the risk of a 
government shutdown.
  Now, it wasn't easy to come to an agreement on top-line numbers, but 
Democrats are very pleased with the ultimate outcome. From the 
beginning, Democrats had one goal in mind, our North Star, to keep 
nondefense funding levels at $772.7 billion, the exact same number we 
agreed to in June of last year when we avoided default.
  Many on the hard right, particularly those in the Freedom Caucus, 
wanted to see that number brought down significantly, and that would 
have made certain devastating cuts to all sorts of programs that help 
millions of Americans. But Democrats, who control the Presidency and 
have a majority in the Senate, said no, no, no to draconian cuts. We 
told the hard right that they cannot bully or threaten their way to 
getting the kind of draconian cuts that the vast majority of Americans 
and many, many Republicans oppose.
  You hear it when Republicans go home to their districts and brag 
about

[[Page S24]]

some of the very things that these hard-right people want to cut.
  So we held the line, and, as a result, we have successfully protected 
vital priorities, like housing programs, veterans' benefits, 
healthcare, nutrition, small business support, the NHS, and funding for 
Federal law enforcement.
  Hard-right Republicans wanted to use the appropriations process to 
gut Democrats' clean energy investments that we passed in the IRA. 
Those too will be absolutely protected. And even though the hard right 
is always obsessed with starving the IRA of resources, this agreement 
protects important funding the IRS needs to hold ultra-rich tax evaders 
accountable.
  This work will not be undermined. The IRS has made great progress, 
brought in lots of money that always should have been there, but 
because very wealthy people are able to hire lawyers and accountants to 
evade taxes, they got away with it--no more. All in all, this top-line 
agreement is a good outcome for the country and a strong start to the 
year.
  Now, certainly, there is more work to do. Agreeing to a top-line 
number is important, but so is the next step: translating that number 
into 12 appropriations bills that can pass the Senate, pass the House, 
and reach the President's desk.
  None of us want to see a government shutdown. So we will do 
everything possible to ensure we avoid one in the coming weeks.
  If Republicans in the House follow the approach we have taken in the 
Senate--the bipartisan approach where Democratic and Republican 
appropriators have worked collaboratively, despite our disagreements--
then we can minimize the risks of a shutdown. But if House Republicans 
bend to the insatiable whims and demands of their hard-right flank, if 
they corrode the appropriations process with poison pills and extremist 
policy proposals, then they will be responsible for moving us closer to 
a shutdown. I hope that does not happen, but we will not be bullied by 
a few hard-right radicals.
  Now, on the supplemental, Mr. President, as the new year begins, 
Senate Democrats remain committed to working with our Republican 
colleagues on passing a national security supplemental package. This 
work has not been easy, but it is a matter of the highest national 
urgency that we act. At stake is the security of our country, the 
security of our friends, including Ukraine and Israel, and nothing less 
than the future of Western democracy.
  We must address these issues. Negotiators have been hard at work for 
weeks and worked straight through the New Year's break in hopes of 
reaching an agreement. The keyword in these negotiations has been 
persistence--persistence--and I remain hopeful that we are going to get 
something meaningful done.
  At times, progress has been slow, and, sometimes, progress has been 
immensely encouraging, but, either way, the important part is we are 
making progress, and we are closer now than we have ever been to 
getting an agreement.
  Congress has not acted on immigration in a comprehensive way in 
decades. So it should surprise no one that it is going to take time. Of 
all the difficult issues we face in this Chamber, immigration is near 
the top. But regardless of how difficult passing this supplemental is, 
so much, so much hangs on our success. The world is still watching how 
the United States will respond this year to the crises in Europe and 
the Middle East and to the growing tensions in the Indo-Pacific.
  Our friends are watching closely too. Most of all, adversaries like 
Vladimir Putin are watching.
  I recently read in the press that while Ukrainians remain determined 
to defend their country, they are running out of ammunition. According 
to one observer, they can fire only one salvo back for every five or so 
the Russians are firing at them. History will not look kindly on this 
episode if the United States fails to act.
  So getting a supplemental done is important right now--as important 
as it has ever been. I know my friend the Republican Leader feels the 
same way, and negotiators are going to keep working until we get this 
done.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.