[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 35 (Tuesday, February 27, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S998]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                           Government Funding

  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, ``We have the means and just enough time 
this week to avoid a shutdown and to make serious headway on our annual 
appropriations. But as always, the task at hand will require that 
everyone rows in the same direction: toward clean appropriations and 
away from poison pills.'' Those are not my words. The Republican leader 
said that yesterday, and he is absolutely right. And I just heard that 
the Speaker said he doesn't want a shutdown, after meeting with the 
President. That is good.
  But let's be clear. A shutdown that hits air traffic controllers and 
food inspectors and so much more would be incredibly damaging, and it 
would make getting all of our funding bills done that much more chaotic 
and challenging.
  There is no reason for a shutdown--not if both sides and both 
Chambers cooperate in a bipartisan way. So I am working around the 
clock to wrap up several spending bills by Friday. If we need to pass a 
very short-term CR along with whatever bills we can finish this week, 
Democrats are ready to make it happen so we can prevent a completely 
unnecessary shutdown and continue making progress on our bills.
  I have been here before too many times, and I can tell you that a 
shutdown is costly, and it is harmful to our economy. It hurts real 
people--Federal employees, not to mention families, seniors, anyone who 
depends on basic services working smoothly--and it makes absolutely no 
sense. It doesn't save us money; it costs us more.
  It is no secret that the biggest obstacle right now has been 
Republican poison pills that were never truly on the table. They were 
always going to be nonstarters. But we have made really good progress 
on the first few bills, and we can get them done if extreme demands are 
pushed aside. We cannot let a few far-right extremists derail the basic 
functioning of government. There is no reason to listen to them, and 
there is no way we are going to let them impose extreme policies that 
go against the basic values of the American people.
  I hope bipartisanship will prevail. Let's show the public that 
Congress still understands a few very simple things: Shutdowns are bad. 
Working together is good. Let's move past the poison pills and on to 
the hard work of legislating.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Wyoming.