[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 145 (Wednesday, September 18, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6115-S6120]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Government Funding
Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I rise today to point out that we are
only 12 days from the end of the fiscal year and to call upon the
majority leader to bring the appropriations bills to the Senate floor.
We have wasted the last 2 weeks. We have spent time voting on issues
that were not nearly as time-sensitive.
By the end of July, the Senate Appropriations Committee had held
hearings on, thoroughly considered at full committee markups, and
reported for consideration by the full Senate 11 of the 12
appropriations bills, roughly 96 percent of the discretionary funding
permitted by the caps. All of the bills--all of them--received strong
bipartisan support. We advanced six of the bills unanimously. Unanimous
support for any bill in today's Senate is no small feat and a testament
to the hard work and seriousness of our committee members on both sides
of the aisle, led by our chair, the senior Senator from Washington.
But what has happened after the committee reported its bills?
Nothing. They have languished on the Senate calendar. Instead of taking
up the Senate committee-passed bills--including bills that passed
unanimously--that we passed earlier in the summer, the Senate has spent
this month processing nominations and taking show votes aimed at
scoring political points.
Show votes: We had another of those yesterday. We voted for the
second time on the exact same bill on IVF. What was that? That is not
what the Senate should be doing at this critical time. That was simply
an attempt by the majority leader to score political points, and I
think that is highly unfortunate. We need to get back to legislating,
and surely funding our government is an imperative. The Founders
envisioned the Senate as a deliberative institution.
As I indicated, by July, the Senate Appropriations Committee had
advanced the fiscal year 2025 Defense appropriations bill by a vote of
28 to 0. It was unanimous. The bill would provide our military with the
resources it needs to confront the global threats facing the United
States, which combatant commanders have described to me as being the
worst and most dangerous in 50 years.
Our bill rejects the administration's budget that would have led to
the smallest Air Force in history and would have yielded the seas to
the growing Chinese navy. The committee, instead, called for a 3.3
percent increase in defense funding levels compared to last year.
Our bill strengthens our military across all domains: air, land, sea,
space, and cyberspace.
Our bill would also provide our brave men and women in uniform the
pay and benefits that they deserve. It would fund a 4.5-percent pay
increase for most of our service men and women and a 5.5-percent pay
increase for the most junior enlisted personnel.
These are just some of the highlights of the bill.
Our bill includes $37 million for Navy shipbuilding, the largest
shipbuilding budget ever. It begins to reverse the dangerous decline in
the number of Navy ships.
For the Air Force, the bill provides additional funding to make
nearly 500 more aircraft available than the President's budget request
would allow.
The bill addresses the changing face of warfare with $1 billion for
counterdrone capabilities to address this evolving threat. The growing
use of drones by Iran and its proxies as well as Russia in its attacks
in Ukraine have demonstrated that warfare has changed and so must our
strategies and budgets.
These are just some of the highlights of this critically important
appropriations bill that we should have been debating, amending, and
passing on the Senate floor.
Mr. President, don't take just my word for it. I would ask unanimous
[[Page S6116]]
consent to submit for the Record letters on why we need a full-year
defense appropriations bill and describing the harm of long continuing
resolutions.
One of the letters is from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
One is from the Secretary of Defense. One is from the Chief of Naval
Operations. One is from the Commandant of the Marine Corps. One is from
the Secretary of the Navy. One is a letter from The Military Coalition,
representing more than 5.5 million current and former servicemembers,
their families, and caregivers. One is from the Aerospace Industries
Association. I could go on and on.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that those letters be printed
at the end of my remarks.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, here is my point. It does not have to be
this way. If the Senate majority leader had prioritized bringing
appropriations bills to the floor, we could be in conference now with
our Senate colleagues on some of the most important funding bills and
send them to the President's desk prior to the October 1 start of the
fiscal year.
The Senate is not doing its job. We should be considering these
bills, not engaging in show votes.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
Chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff,
Washington, DC, September 13, 2024.
Hon. Patty Murray,
Chair, Committee on Appropriations,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Dear Madam Chair: We thank Congress for passing Fiscal Year
2024 Defense Appropriations, including multiyear procurement
funds, and National Security Supplemental Funding for
critical investments into our Nation's defense industrial
base.
However, I am concerned the Joint Force has been
constrained by Continuing Resolutions for 14 of the past 15
years, totaling 5 years' worth of lost time we cannot get
back. Continuing Resolutions (CR) of any length have lasting
impacts on the Joint Force. The National Defense Strategy
identifies the key challenges that threaten U.S. national
interests. All are currently active and, in some cases,
working together. This convergence puts us in in the most
dynamic and challenging global security environment in my
nearly 40 years in uniform.
Our Joint Force is the most capable and lethal fighting
force in the world. Maintaining our strategic advantage
depends upon on-time funding to have a modernized and ready
force. In the race against time, each CR is the equivalent of
taking a knee on advancing our defense capabilities as
security challenges increase their momentum to challenge our
credible combat power. CRs significantly impact and degrade
acquisition of the warfighting capability and capacity
required to defend the United States and our interests. They
slow progress and damage our relationships with the defense
industrial base, eroding trust driving up costs, and
increasing delivery times, as industry hedges against funding
inconsistencies.
Should Congress move forward with a six-month CR, we
anticipate detrimental impacts to readiness and modernization
across the Joint Force. Pay and entitlements, nuclear
enterprise modernization, shipbuilding and maintenance,
aircraft procurement, weapons system sustainment, munitions
production, and multiple new starts are just a few examples
that will feel the brunt of the lost time and lost buying
power caused by a CR.
Our Joint Force depends on long-term, stable. predictable,
and timely funding. We are living in a consequential time.
There is no time to waste. Thank you for your continued
support and service to our Nation.
Sincerely,
Charles Q. Brown, Jr.,
General, U.S. Air Force.
____
Secretary of Defense,
Washington, DC, September 7, 2024.
Hon. Susan Collins,
Vice Chairman, Committee on Appropriations,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Dear Senator Collins: I am providing a detailed list of the
impacts of a six-month continuing resolution (CR) for the
Department of Defense. The Department appreciates the
opportunity to share its view on a six-month CR and the
litany of difficulties it would impose--not only on
accomplishing our mission and maintaining national security,
but also on the quality of life of our Service members and
their families.
If passed, a six-month CR would represent the second year
in a row, and the seventh time in the past 15 years, where
the Department is delayed in moving forward with critical
priorities until mid-way through the budget year. These
actions subject Service members and their families to
unnecessary stress, empower our adversaries, misalign
billions of dollars, damage our readiness, and impede our
ability to react to emergent events.
As you have heard me say, our budget is aligned to our
strategy. A six-month CR would set us significantly behind in
meeting our pacing challenge highlighted in our National
Defense Strategy--the People's Republic of China (PRC). The
PRC is the only global competitor with both the intent and
capability to change the international order. The PRC does
not operate under CRs. Our ability to execute our strategy is
contingent upon our ability to innovate and modernize to meet
this challenge, which cannot happen under a CR. Asking the
Department to compete with the PRC, let alone manage
conflicts in Europe and the Middle East, while under a
lengthy CR, ties our hands behind our back while expecting us
to be agile and to accelerate progress. We have already lost
valuable time, having operated under 48 CRs for a total of
almost five years since 2011. We cannot buy back this time,
but we can stop digging the hole.
Moreover, under the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023
(FRA), the consequences of such a CR in fiscal year (FY) 2025
could be even more dire for the U.S. and its allies and
partners. Failure to pass any one of the 12 full
appropriations acts by January 1, 2025, will start a process
to reduce discretionary spending limits (caps) for the
security category by one percent below the enacted FY 2023
level. This will be enforced through sequestration,
potentially resulting in a total reduction of $42 billion
from the Department's FY 2025 request. A six-month CR takes
us far too close to the April 30, 2025 deadline for a
permanent sequestration order, as required by the FRA and
related legislation.
A long-term CR in FY 2025 would impede thousands of DoD
programs and projects. Military recruiting would be damaged,
just as we are post-COVID, returning to meeting our goals. We
would be forced to forego vital investments in our defense
industrial base, including the submarine and ship building
bases. We would lose time and money the Nation cannot risk on
modernization of our nuclear triad, rapid fielding of
Uncrewed Aerial Systems through the Replicator initiative,
execution of hundreds of military construction projects, and
deterrence initiatives in the Indo-Pacific and Europe.
Additionally, because there would be no funds for legally
required military and civilian pay raises during a CR, the
Department would be forced to offset the cost of these well-
deserved pay raises, and in fact all inflation impacts across
the Department, by cutting into other programs and accounts
at potentially damaging levels.
Enclosed with this letter is information that highlights
the impacts on each of the Military Departments and certain
Defense-Wide activities should Congress fail to act. As you
will see, the repercussions of Congress failing to pass
regular appropriations legislation for the first half of FY
2025 would be devastating to our readiness and ability to
execute the National Defense Strategy.
The single most important thing that Congress can do to
ensure U.S. national security is to pass timely legislation
for all 12 appropriations bills for FY 2025. I am fully aware
of the political pressures that will challenge the Congress
from fulfilling its duty before our national elections
conclude. No matter who wins this election, there will be a
Presidential transition. I urge you and your colleagues to
take up action immediately after the election to limit damage
to our national security during this vulnerable period around
transitions and uphold the bipartisan tradition of funding
our nation's defense prior to the inauguration of a new
President.
The Department stands ready to assist Congress in any way
possible to ensure it has the information and resources to
pass this essential legislation. As I have said several times
in the past, it's not only the right thing to do, but also
the best thing to do for our Nation's defense.
A copy of this letter is being sent to the other Chairs and
Ranking Members of the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations.
Sincerely,
Lloyd J. Austin.
____
Department of the Navy,
Chief of Naval Operations,
Washington, DC, September 17, 2024.
Hon. Jon Tester,
Chairman, Subcommittee on Defense, Committee on
Appropriations,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: I write to express my deep concern
regarding Congress' intention to pass a six-month continuing
resolution (CR) and echo the Secretary of Defense and the
Secretary of the Navy's calls to enact a Fiscal Year (FY)
2025 appropriation bill. A six-month CR would cause profound,
damaging impact to the United States Navy while imposing
unnecessary hardship on our Sailors, civilians, and their
families.
I am grateful for your support of the provision to add
$1.95B to fully fund the two FY 2024 appropriated Virginia
class submarines. This supplemental funding supports my
efforts to maximize players on the field, deliver decisive
combat power, invest in the submarine industrial base, and
maintain trust in the AUKUS partnership.
Our Navy continues to support our Nation's security
interests operating around the globe and, most notably this
year, in harm's way. The Navy requires stable, predictable
funding while engaged in combat in the Middle East, in a race
with the People's Republic of China, and challenged by an
aggressive Russia. A six-month CR would delay platforms and
weapons to our warfighters
[[Page S6117]]
and undermine the foundation that supports them.
Additionally, a six-month CR in FY 2025 drives us towards the
draconian consequences of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of
2023 imposing additional spending caps.
Our FY 2025 budget request is strategy driven and invests
in priorities that will deter our potential adversaries and
enable your Navy to respond in crisis and if necessary, win
decisively in war. It is laser-focused on warfighting,
warfighters, and the foundation that supports them.
Highlighted below is a partial list of priorities that would
be undermined by a six-month CR:
Columbia Class Submarine: risks further delaying delivery
of Columbia class submarine due to construction delays and
would result in future cost increases.
CVN 75 Refueling (RCOH): risks slippage of new contract
award resulting in maintenance delays and potential cost
increases.
Quality of Service: risks to fleet and family services,
child development centers, and supporting shore
infrastructure.
Operations and Maintenance: risks to air and port
operations, facilities management and environmental
compliance. Risks potential descoping or delaying some of the
58 ship depot maintenance availabilities scheduled for FY
2025.
Military Personnel: more gaps at sea, reduction to end
strength, elimination of most new bonus awards. Upon passage
of the FY 2025 National Defense Authorization Act, pay raise
that takes effect January 1, 2025 will induce impacts on
other mission areas such as curtailment of permanent change
of station moves and other personnel requirements.
Munitions: delays AIM-9X Sidewinder and Rolling Airframe
Missile contract awards reducing missiles for fleet load
outs.
Military Construction: Trident Refit Facility Expansion
will be delayed, interrupting current operations and
resulting in a failure to meet the refit mission of the
Columbia Class submarine. Delays to Family Housing on Guam
due to reduction in Navy Family Housing Construction. Delays
to Conventional Prompt Strike Test Facility that will slow
schedule, increase cost, and reduce rounds available to the
warfighter.
Passing legislation on time for all 12 FY 2025
appropriations bills is the single most effective action
Congress can take to ensure U.S. national security. The
compounding effect from years of repeated CRs continues to
undermine our ability to support the warfighter and maintain
our position as the world's preeminent naval force. In the
end, it is our people that suffer effects of a CR and the
unpredictability it brings. I would ask you to think of the
Sailors and their families from each of your state's
districts. We must continue to build on the momentum of our
efforts to ensure our quality of service meets the highest
standards and look after our families who enable us to
accomplish our warfighting mission.
The United States Navy stands ready to assist Congress in
any way possible to ensure it has the information and
resources to pass this essential legislation.
A similar letter has been sent to Chairman Calvert, Chair
Murray, and Chairman Cole.
Sincerely,
L.M. Franchetti.
____
Department of the Navy,
Headquarters United States Marine Corps,
Washington, DC, September 17, 2024.
Hon. Jon Tester,
Chairman, Subcommittee on Defense, Committee on
Appropriations,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman; I am writing to express my deep concerns
regarding the impact of Continuing Resolutions (CRs) and
budget uncertainty on the readiness and mission of the Marine
Corps.
My recent Commandant's Planning Guidance outlines the
Marine Corps' strategic priorities and objectives, continuing
the momentum of our Force Design initiatives, including
maturing kill webs, maturing the force, and Quality of Life
efforts that together generate a ready Fleet Marine Force and
enable Joint operations. The FY25 President's Budget reflects
these priorities and requests the necessary funding to
achieve them. However, CRs and budget uncertainty have a
detrimental effect on our ability to continue to build the
Joint Force's Stand-in Force while sustaining the Nation's
crisis response capabilities.
When we operate under a CR, the misalignment and reduced
levels of funding prevent the planned execution of our FY25
strategy-driven budget. This leads to inefficiencies and a
deceleration in warfighting investment, disruption to
recruiting and retention, and reductions to operation and
maintenance accounts, potentially compromising our ability to
respond to emerging threats. Furthermore, budget uncertainty
creates instability and unpredictability in our planning and
operations, leading to delays in procurement, maintenance,
and training, which impact our warfighting readiness,
modernization efforts, and meeting our commitments to our
allies and partners.
I urge you to consider the importance of providing timely
appropriations for the Marine Corps. Budget certainty--
adequate, stable, predictable funding--is the single most
effective way to maintain critical strategic momentum in our
Force Design transformation efforts to stay in front of our
pacing threat, to support our Marines and Sailors, and to
fulfill our mission as the Nation's Naval Expeditionary Force
in Readiness.
A similar letter has been sent to Chair Murray, Chairman
Cole, and Chairman Calvert. Thank you for your attention to
this matter. I look forward to working with you to ensure the
continued success of the Marine Corps and the defense of our
Nation.
Very Respectfully,
Eric M. Smith,
General, U.S. Marine Corps,
Commandant of the Marine Corps.
____
The Secretary of the Navy,
Washington, DC,
September 12, 2024.
Hon. Susan Collins,
Vice Chair, Committee on Appropriations,
U.S. Senate.
Dear Vice Chair Collins: I write today to express my
concern about the six-month continuing resolution (CR) and
its impact on the Navy and Marine Corps. This lengthy delay
in new funding would force the Department of the Navy (DON)
to operate at last year's funding levels with the negative
consequences lasting far beyond the time frame of the CR,
impeding our ability to field the force needed to defend our
nation while imposing unnecessary stress on our Sailors,
Marines, Civilians, and their families.
Our FY 2025 budget request included significant investments
in recruiting, quality of life, and the ships, submarines,
and aircraft the DON requires to enhance maritime dominance.
Enclosed with this letter is a detailed list articulating the
impacts of a six-month and year-long CR on the DON, but here
are some of the most consequential:
Delays in the Virginia Class submarine will impact
submarine deliveries and future force structure
availabilities, which are already running over cost and
behind schedule. A CR risks setting back the program even
further.
Further delaying delivery of Columbia Class submarine due
to postponed construction, and result in future cost
increases.
A six-month CR risks delaying critical investments in the
submarine industrial base and the Australia, United Kingdom,
and United States (AUKUS) partnership.
Restriction of Cost-to-Complete funding for prior year
shipbuilding programs including CVN-74 refueling resulting in
maintenance delays and potential cost increases.
Profound negative impacts on the Marine Corps Force Design
efforts, slowing key acquisition programs.
Uncertainty in recruiting budget would lead to challenges
in attracting new talent to the force.
Negative impacts to Quality of Service efforts including
the Marine Corps Barracks 2030 initiative.
Other limitations include delays to ongoing and planned
Nuclear Command, Control and Communications engineering
activities supporting STRATCOM, construction projects,
continued development of conventional munitions, and delays
in procurement of munitions.
Delay key investments in making critical infrastructure
like roadways, ranges, and utility systems resilient to
extreme weather and climate change. It will also cause
serious delays in developing and fielding the Hybrid Medium
Tactical Truck program.
Additionally, a long-term CR would impact a multitude of
programs within the Department, having a lasting impact on
industry stabilization efforts for both shipbuilding and
munitions. These include twenty construction projects, five
research and development projects, up to fifty-eight ship
maintenance availabilities, procurement of five ships,
aircraft programs and munitions critical for our warfighters.
Finally, due to the pay raises for both military and civilian
not being funded under a year-long CR, additional programs
would be negatively impacted to accommodate the increases in
payroll along with other inflationary impacts.
The Department of the Navy stands ready to assist Congress
in any way possible to ensure it has the information and
resources to pass this essential legislation. This is the
best thing to do to support our Nation's defense.
A copy of this letter is being sent to the other Chairs and
Ranking Members of the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations.
Sincerely,
Carlos Del Toro.
____
The Military Coalition,
September 9, 2024.
Hon. Chuck Schumer,
Majority Leader, U.S. Senate.
Hon. Mike Johnson,
Speaker, House of Representatives.
Hon. Mitch McConnell,
Republican Leader, U.S. Senate.
Hon. Hakeem Jeffries,
Democratic Leader, House of Representatives.
Dear Majority Leader Schumer, Republican Leader McConnell,
Speaker Johnson, and Democratic Leader Jeffries: The Military
Coalition (TMC), representing more than 5.5 million current
and former uniformed service members, veterans, their
families, caregivers, and survivors urges you to pass all of
the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 appropriations bills supporting our
uniformed services--in particular the Defense Appropriations
and Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related
Agencies' Appropriations (MilCon-VA)--as soon as possible and
at no less than the Senate Armed Services Committee-passed
levels.
Our nation faces many threats, and our uniformed services
operate in a very challenging environment. From responding to
[[Page S6118]]
Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and the current
crisis in the Middle East, China's aggression in the Indo-
Pacific, as well as countering the malign activities of North
Korea--the uniformed services continue to answer our nation's
call around the globe. Domestically, without fail or delay,
the uniformed services have executed essential support to
civilian authorities during natural disasters of historical
scales.
If a continuing resolution (CR) is required to avert a
harmful and counterproductive government shutdown, it should
be a short one. Funding the government at last year's rate
diminishes national security and the capabilities of the
uniformed services (both Regular and Reserve Components) by
hurting readiness, modernization, and quality-of-life
programs. Uniformed service members who have concerns
regarding quality-of-life issues cannot dedicate their full
attention to the mission. The negative impact to quality of
life will do nothing but harm those who are currently serving
and will paint a negative picture for any recruiting efforts
from an already scant pool of eligible candidates. CRs also
do not permit new starts or increase the level of investment
in modernization priorities. Further, new family housing and
barracks projects cannot be started. Delaying funding damages
our defense posture nationally and globally. CRs also hurt
the defense industrial base, including small businesses, by
adding uncertainty to the procurement and manufacturing
processes. CRs damage the joint force's ability to prepare to
fight and win in the future and impedes readiness to counter
threats today.
Further, our nation's service members, veterans, their
families, caregivers, and survivors deserve the best possible
health care including mental health care as well as timely
claims and rating decisions. Shutdowns and CRs hinder new
investments to enhance care for beneficiaries, the ability to
hire additional health and mental health professionals, and
improve facilities.
We believe that a strong national defense begins at home.
The uniformed services, their families, our veterans and
survivors benefit from on-time appropriate domestic spending
which contributes to national security.
As such, TMC, as represented by the organizations listed
below, urge you to swiftly pass all twelve FY 2025
appropriations bills as soon as possible. This would provide
the predictability and resources commensurate with the
demonstrated need and the urgency that our national security
challenges require, and our service members, veterans, their
families, caregivers, and survivors have earned.
Thank you for your continued service to our nation in
Congress.
Sincerely,
Jack Du Tiel,
President, The Military Coalition.
The Military Coalition
Air and Space Force Association (AFA),Air Force Sergeants
Association (AFSA), Army Aviation Association of America
(AAAA), (Association of the United States Army (AUSA),
Association of the United States Navy (AUSN), Blinded
Veterans Association (BVA), Blue Star Families, Commissioned
Officers Association of the US Public Health Service (COA),
Fleet Reserve Association (FRA), Gold Star Wives of America,
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), Jewish War
Veterans of the US (JWV), Marine Corps League, Military
Chaplains Association, Military Officers Association of
America (MOAA), Military Order of the World Wars (MOWW),
National Military Family Association, Naval Enlisted Reserve
Association (NERA), Non-Commissioned Officers Association of
the USA (NCOA), Reserve Organization of America (ROA),
Service Women's Action Network (SWAN), The Retired Enlisted
Association (TREA), Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors
(TAPS), US Army Warrant Officers Association (USAWOA), U.S.
Coast Guard Chief Petty Officers Association & Enlisted
Association (USCGCPOA), Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA).
____
Aerospace Industries Association,
September 4, 2024.
Hon. Chuck Schumer,
Majority Leader, U.S. Senate.
Hon. Mitch McConnell,
Republican Leader, U.S. Senate.
Hon. Mike Johnson,
Speaker, House of Representatives.
Hon. Hakeem Jeffries,
Democratic Leader, House of Representatives.
Dear Speaker Johnson, Majority Leader Schumer, Republican
Leader McConnell, and Democratic Leader Jeffries: On behalf
of the American aerospace and defense industry, which employs
millions of Americans and contributes billions to the
American economy, the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA)
encourages you to act urgently and jointly to address key
priorities when Congress returns from its August district
work period. This includes FY25 appropriations bills, the
FY25 National Defense Authorization Act, and tax legislation
that reverses current policies discouraging business research
and development. Enacting these critical bills will not only
protect the health of our industry, which is essential to the
economic and national security of the United States but will
also reinforce our country's resilience and well-being.
AIA represents our nation's leading aerospace and defense
companies. These businesses are responsible for countless
innovations, research and development that provides cutting-
edge technology to our warfighters, improves aviation safety,
and demonstrates our global leadership in space. We look
forward to working with you to advance key legislation that
is critical to maintaining our national security and our
global economic leadership.
We know that passing all 12 regular appropriations bills is
among your top priorities, and it is a priority that AIA and
our members share. U.S. companies like ours that do business
with the Department of Defense, the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration (NASA), the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), and other federal agencies rely on
timely and predictable funding to stay on schedule and guide
their own investments in staff, facilities, and equipment.
Long-term continuing resolutions (CRs), such as those
experienced this year, delay and disrupt these investments.
We strongly urge you not to support any CR extending beyond
this calendar year, because it would repeat and exacerbate
the disruption caused by almost six months of CRs this year.
Our customers, including our troops, our workers, and their
families deserve better.
Secondly, we urge the House to follow the Senate's lead in
providing additional funds for both defense and non-defense
programs in the final appropriations bills. This is the last
year of budget caps imposed by the Fiscal Responsibility Act
of 2023, and funding under those caps is insufficient to meet
critical needs or even cover inflation. With bipartisan
support, the Senate bills provide modest increases of
approximately 3 percent for both defense and non-defense
programs. We believe these increases are essential because
costs for manufacturing inputs remain persistently high.
Without adequate resources, federal contracts, quantities,
and delivery schedules must be renegotiated, to the detriment
of federal customers and American workers like those in our
industry.
For the FAA, FY25 appropriations bills include strong
increases to improve aviation safety and increase hiring for
air traffic controllers. In both cases, these are needed to
address documented challenges and implement important new
requirements from the recently enacted FAA Reauthorization
Act of 2024. Long-term CRs only push those safety
improvements into the future.
The FY25 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is
critical legislation that will provide efficiencies to an
often-burdensome acquisition process and reduce barriers for
small and mid-sized businesses that seek to enter or remain
part of the defense industrial base. American servicemembers,
and the defense industrial base that supports them, depend on
the authorities authorized in the NDAA each year--just as
they have for the last 64 years. We urge you to complete this
bill well before these critical authorities expire at the end
of the calendar year.
Lastly but no less important, restoring the single-year
deductibility of research and development expenses is very
important to our industry. This is especially true for our
small businesses, which are often forced to choose between
paying salaries or continuing research into the next
generation of potentially life-saving technologies. Our
members serving the Defense Department rely on these expenses
to generate cutting-edge technology that protects the
warfighter and gives our military a competitive advantage
over our adversaries. We are not the only U.S. industry
harmed by this 2022 change in the tax code, but the effect on
our industry is felt more fully in U.S. national security and
safety programs. With China doubling down on its R&D tax
incentives, we should not be one of the only nations in the
industrialized world following this archaic practice.
AIA remains Congress' partner in these efforts, and we
appreciate all you are doing to get these vital bills enacted
on time. Please let us know how we can support you with this
critical agenda.
Respectfully,
Eric Fanning,
President and CEO,
Aerospace Industries Association.
Ms. COLLINS. I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Washington.
Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I really appreciate my colleagues wanting
to move forward on our full-year funding bills. I share the absolute
urgency that the Senator from Maine just talked about. This is critical
work that must get done for the American people.
I have to say, as the first order of business, I hope all four
corners of Congress can quickly come together as soon as possible to
hammer out a reasonable bipartisan CR. We have to keep the government
open and avert a needless and disastrous CR.
I want my colleagues to know I look forward to working with them on
the other side in a strongly bipartisan fashion to pass all 12 of our
full-year spending bills before the end of this year. Our committee has
worked really hard to get bipartisan bills. We are ready. They are
ready.
It is frustrating to all us that we have worked so hard on this
process. Whether it is funding for our military or VA or countless
other essential services in our bill, from childcare to food
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safety inspection, I believe in the urgency of this.
I appreciate my colleagues speaking out on this today. I assure them
I will keep working with them and make sure the voice of the Senate is
heard and we do the job and get it done.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Mississippi.
Mr. WICKER. Mr. President, I want to join my colleagues, both
Democrat and Republican, in expressing regret that we don't have the
important national security business of this Congress before the Senate
right now. Clearly, it is important to do a nomination and a
confirmation every few days. The election is approaching and, of
course, there are some show votes. And I think probably my side of the
aisle has engaged in that sort of thing in years past.
But it is such a shame that we face this axis of aggressors like we
have never faced in 50 years. And every national security official,
whether a retired four-star or someone who is no longer in service but
giving us good advice, they come before us, and they say we have never
had such a threat from China; from Russia, which is engaged in a
shooting war right now having invaded the sovereign space of a next-
door neighbor; from Iran, which is directing the three--at least the
three--terrorist groups that are raining so much havoc on Israel; and
then a very unstable leadership in North Korea. This axis of aggressors
is signaling that they don't fear an invasion of Taiwan in three short
years. They have said it publicly.
While all of that is going on, our leadership, the distinguished
majority leader from New York, has not let us bring the appropriations
bill to the floor; has not let us bring the authorization bill, which
we must pass--we must pass both of these bills every year--the two
essential bills that cannot go without being taken care of every fiscal
year.
I will say to you, Mr. President, to my colleagues, and to others
that are paying attention, this has been bipartisan, absolutely.
Senator Murray is correct. She is unhappy about this too. But I point
the finger to the one person on the face of the Earth that can actually
bring a bill to the floor, and that is the majority leader.
Senator Reed, the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, and I
have been putting together a managers' package for this year's National
Defense Authorization Act. It would have been much better had we
brought the bill to the floor and had 100 amendments winnowed down and
worked back and forth together as we should be doing; then have open
votes so the people of the United States could see how Senators from
Maine to Mississippi and from the west coast to the east stand on
important issues affecting the U.S. military. We have not been able to
do that. But we are working together, Senator Reed and I, on a plan.
And we worked on nearly 100 variations of the legislation that was
passed months and months ago by the Armed Services Committee to resolve
issues of local and State interests--issues involving how quickly we
can get our industrial base going to meet the need that, frankly, we
are not meeting at the present time; and to get ahead of the game so we
can prevent war; so we can have enough strength to have the Reaganesque
peace through strength that we enjoyed in the eighties and early
nineties.
The appropriations bills are just as important--if not more
important--than the authorization bills. They contain funding increases
we need to prevent our Air Force from shrinking. We know that the
Chinese Navy is expanding enormously and our Navy is shrinking,
literally shrinking.
It is regrettable that here we are a week and half to go before we
must break for the election, and the distinguished majority leader,
Senator Schumer, has not brought any of this legislation before the
full Senate, bills that have been ready since July.
Also, I want to commend my colleague from Maine, the distinguished
ranking member of the Appropriations Committee, for accommodating the
chairman of the Appropriations Committee. I had prepared today to come
down here and support Senator Collins in an effort to have a unanimous
consent request to bring the bill to the floor. I mean, what else are
we doing? Look at us. In a matter of comity and to continue the great
working relationship that these two senior Senators have had, Senator
Collins refrained from that. So we are not asking for unanimous consent
and requiring someone from the other side to come and object to that.
We will continue to work.
But what is absolutely sure is that the fiscal year will begin in
just a few days. And the appropriation for what we need to do at the
Pentagon--what new things we need to do--will not be passed, and we
will be stuck with last year's priorities. And as a result, at a time
when we need to be putting more resources into national security and
sending new direction based on the new facts and the new challenges
that are out there--at that time, we will actually be wasting money of
the taxpayers by having priorities still extended for another 3
months--hopefully, it is only 3 months--rather than putting the
resources there that the experts tell us and that we have learned are
necessary for the next fiscal year.
If my colleague from Maine would like to speak on my time, I will be
glad to yield to her. If not, I am prepared to yield the floor and just
regret so profoundly that our leadership has not allowed us to do the
work that the taxpayers expect us to do.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Maine.
Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I just want to thank the distinguished
ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee for his
extraordinary leadership. He has charted a future for defense spending
that recognizes the extraordinary threats that we face, and it has been
a real honor to work with him.
I yield to the Senator from Alabama, Mrs. Britt.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Alabama.
Mrs. BRITT. Mr. President, today I rise to discuss something that is
extremely disturbing, the fact that we have less than 2 weeks before
the end of the fiscal year and yet we have not put any of our
appropriations bills on the floor.
By ``we,'' ``we'' is not the Appropriations Committee. That is
actually right on Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. He decides what comes
to the floor. He decides when we do it, and yet he hasn't prioritized
our men and women in uniform.
I think, today, that is exactly what we should be doing. But instead,
I am sure he will either conjure up another show vote like we saw
yesterday or he will put another partisan nominee on the floor. Instead
of considering these appropriations bills, that seems to be what we are
doing.
I want to be really clear. For everyone in the Gallery, we have
members of the Appropriations Committee, both Democrat and Republican,
that sit and work together. We have a job to fund the government. We
are supposed to do it by September 30. We have marked up 11 out of 12
of those bills in an extremely bipartisan fashion. Yet those bills
still sit on Chuck Schumer's desk. He hasn't brought one of them to the
floor.
Now, the House has sent over five bills, so what we could be doing is
putting the ones that match up on this floor, sending them to
conference, and actually funding them. But instead, we are doing
nothing.
I want you all to know that this isn't new. This is exactly what
Chuck Schumer did last year as well. You have Patty Murray and Susan
Collins of different parties working together in a bipartisan fashion
to figure out a path forward. I commend them for that.
Last year, we did 12 out of 12 bills that were marked up out of a
Senate committee, were allowed to be amended on TV in front of the
public by July 27.
Yet those bills sat, Chuck Schumer not putting them on the floor
until November 1 of 2023--127 days after they had been marked up.
After that is when we saw the next bill come on to the floor. We
actually didn't finish our process until 174 days into the fiscal year
last year. That is not only fiscally irresponsible, it is morally
irresponsible.
The people sent us up here to do a job. And my question to the
majority leader today is: Why aren't you letting us actually do it?
I am extremely disappointed that not a single one of these bills
again this
[[Page S6120]]
year has seemed to find its way on the floor. He seems to have no plan
to do that. The only plan seems to be to kick the can down the road.
And as my distinguished colleague from Mississippi said, every time
we do that, our men and women pay the price. Secretary Austin,
obviously appointed by President Biden, confirmed by this body, has
said that a CR will hurt our men and women in uniform. So what we
should be doing is figuring out a path forward to fund defense and to
fund our veterans.
So today you see Members of the Republican Party standing up and
saying: Let's get this Chamber back to doing the critical work we were
sent here to do. It is long overdue.
Now, for those of you who don't know, I am new in this body. I have
been here less than 2 years. And yet for some reason, last year I asked
a question. I said: When is the last time we actually did our job on
time for the American people?
You heard me say it took us 174 days into the fiscal year last year
to actually do our job. Now, I want you all to be clear: Every time we
do that, every time we kick the can down the road with a CR, continuing
resolution, it costs the taxpayers more.
Think about this. You are halting everything; you are halting bidding
processes. Have any of you ever had to rebid something? When you rebid
something, does the price go up or does it go down? We know it doesn't
go down. We know it goes up, which means we are being irresponsible
with taxpayer dollars.
But yet again, that seems to be what we do year after year after
year. So the former staffer came out in me, and I wanted to get to work
and figure out when is the last time we actually did our job.
The last time we did our job on time--y'all, listen to this--was
fiscal year 1997. And the last time we actually did it on time by
passing bills individually through regular order, fiscal year 1995. So
to all the Senate pages, clearly, you weren't even born yet.
That is 30 years ago for everyone in the Chamber that is doing the
math, 30 years of kicking the can down the road.
The American people deserve better, and yet, somehow, we can't get
the media to cover this. We can't get them to cover the fact that
Leader Schumer has refused to lead but yet used his time on a show vote
yesterday where he was trying to put my State in the crosshairs.
I am proud of the work that my State has done to protect IVF quickly
and effectively, both from the legislature and the Governor. Once
again, IVF is accessible and legal in every single State across our
great Nation.
But do you know what Chuck Schumer took his time doing yesterday?
Creating a show vote for commercials, for men and women on the other
side of the aisle that are in vulnerable seats, instead of putting the
American people first. And the American people are sick of that. And
bottom line, they deserve better.
And as long as I am in this body, I am going to keep pushing this
issue; I am going to keep moving it to the front. We are going to find
a solution to actually getting back to doing the work the American
people sent us up here to do.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Maine.
Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I just want to thank the Senator from
Alabama for her eloquent words, her passion, and her leadership. She is
absolutely correct that there is no reason for us to be in the
situation that we find ourselves in just 12 days before the start of
the new fiscal year.
There is no reason why the Defense appropriations bill, the military
construction VA bill, the Labor HHS bill, the CJS bill--I could go on
and on. There is no reason why the Senate appropriations approved bills
could not have been brought to the Senate floor.
They are important. Funding the government is critical. And as the
distinguished Senator from Alabama points out, when we go on to
continuing resolutions, we cause enormous harm, which is why I entered
into the record all of those letters from the Department of Defense and
to other organizations.
And here is the other point: As the Senator from Alabama has pointed
out, we end up spending more money. It costs us more money because
contracts are put on hold, new starts are delayed, and programs that
should be trimmed back or eliminated continue to be funded.
This just is not how the Senate should operate. And I implored the
majority leader more than once to bring the appropriations bills to the
Senate floor, and it is harmful to our Nation and particularly to our
national defense that these bills were not brought to the floor.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from California.
Ms. BUTLER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that I be
permitted to speak for 5 minutes, and Senator Schmitt be permitted to
speak for 5 minutes prior to the scheduled vote.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.