Senate Passes Short-Term Government Funding Measure
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Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committee, delivered remarks on the Senate floor today ahead of the Senate’s 78-18 vote to pass the continuing resolution. The legislation now heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law.
A transcript of Senator Collins’ remarks are as follows:
Now Madam President, I rise to urge passage of the government funding measure that was approved by the House of Representatives earlier today.
The bill, which is known as a continuing resolution, or a CR, is straightforward. Most important of all, it prevents a government shutdown.
Government shutdowns are inherently a failure to govern effectively. They have negative consequences all across government. They require certain essential government employees, such as Border Patrol agents or members of our military or air traffic controllers, to report to work, but with no certainty that they would be paid.
We simply cannot allow that to occur.
Other harmful impacts have been outlined by the Secretary of Defense and all of the service secretaries, who point out that new defense programs cannot be started when there is a government shutdown that inevitably increases cost to the taxpayers, and programs that should be terminated or trimmed are continued to be funded at the current level, or stopped altogether, as people cannot do their work. So, we cannot have a government shutdown.
This continuing resolution is not perfect, but it is an effort to extend current year program levels through December 20 with limited exceptions aimed primarily at preventing program disruptions and preparing for the presidential transition and inaugural activities.
Madam President, I would also note that this temporary funding bill includes $231 million for the Secret Service’s immediate protection operations following the two recent assassination attempts on the life of former President Trump. And all of us are aware that there also is a plot by the Iranian government to assassinate President Trump.
So, we need to make sure that we are providing robust protection, while the first attempt on President Trump's life, the Secret Service has conceded, was due to poor communication and other failures, the Secret Service has also asked for this additional funding. It's absolutely essential as they deal with the increased threat environment and ensure that our current president and vice president and presidential candidates are all fully protected.
As I mentioned, the Secret Service has acknowledged that this security failure on July 13 was not a result of a lack of resources. The additional funding in this bill will help to surge support to meet emergent personnel equipment and logistical needs. It will also allow for the Department of Defense to be reimbursed for the activities that it provides and will now resume for former President Trump.
Madam President, the continuing resolution also allows the Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, immediate access to more than $20 billion for its Disaster Relief Fund to sustain disaster assistance during the period covered by this CR.
This funding resolution is the product of bipartisan, bicameral negotiations. It is essential that it be adopted in order to prevent a government shutdown, and I urge its adoption.
Thank you, Madam President.
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