[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 37 (Thursday, February 29, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S1051]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                           Government Funding

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, yesterday, congressional leaders 
announced that we have come to an agreement to avoid a shutdown this 
weekend. So we can finish our work to fund the Federal Government for 
the rest of the year.
  The House is set to vote today on extension of government funding 
until March 8 and March 22.
  Once the House acts, I hope the Senate can pass the short-term CR as 
soon as tonight, but that will require all of us working together. 
There is certainly no reason this should take a very long time. So 
let's cooperate and get it done quickly.
  I am very glad we got this done before Friday's deadline. I worked 
very hard with Chair Murray, Vice Chair Collins, and all the 
appropriators to reach this agreement. It is consistent with the top-
line agreement I reached with the Speaker back in January, without the 
unacceptable poison pill riders that we said would not fly.
  As I said directly to the Speaker over and over and over again, the 
only way to get things done here is with bipartisanship, and this 
agreement is another proof point.
  This agreement is proof that when the four leaders work together, 
when bipartisanship is prioritized, when getting things done for the 
American people takes a high priority, good things can happen even in 
divided government. And I hope this sets the stage for Congress to 
finish the appropriations process in a bipartisan way very soon.
  On top of all that, I am very glad the American people won't have to 
deal with the pain of a government shutdown. Even a partial shutdown 
would have threatened services for moms and children, would have hurt 
our veterans, would have hurt farmers, home buyers, law enforcement, 
and so much more. Thankfully, we are on track to avoiding all of that.
  If there is anything that this appropriations process has made 
abundantly clear, it is this: When serious-minded Democrats and 
serious-minded Republicans engage each other with a desire to get 
things done, good things happen even in divided government. We avoid 
shutdowns. We invest in the American people. And we make our country 
stronger.