U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) addressed the Senate ahead of the government funding deadline, urging Democratic senators to take action to avoid a potential government shutdown.
Britt argued for the passage of a “clean continuing resolution” (CR) that would fund the government for seven weeks without introducing new partisan spending. She emphasized that this measure would provide lawmakers with additional time to work on bipartisan appropriations bills and return to what she described as regular order in Congress.
“Passing a clean CR this week is important for two reasons. First, passing the CR, of course, will avert a harmful and unnecessary government shutdown. No reasonable member on either side, Democrat or Republican, wants a government shutdown. Now, those aren’t my words. Those are actually Senator Schumer’s words from just over a year ago,” Britt said during her speech.
She criticized Democratic leadership for what she characterized as prioritizing politics over governance: “Mr. President, I rise today because once again this Congress, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, have decided to put politics ahead of the American people … But yet, instead of allowing this body to focus, this body to work, this body to function, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have continued to play politics. And guess what? We’re over it … This chamber is barreling towards a government shutdown. And make no mistake about it, there is no one to blame but the Democrats.”
Britt explained that Republicans have proposed a solution: “Meanwhile, Republicans have put forth a clean CR. It funds the government for seven weeks. It puts forth no new partisan spending and, importantly, allows for us to have more time to get back to a semblance of regular order and pass bipartisan appropriations bills. Enacting these appropriations bills needs to be one of our top priorities, because while the Republican-led CR is the best option for right now, it is my belief we cannot continue to kick the can down the road … A long-term continuing resolution would keep spending at Biden levels, and the American people neither voted for this nor [can] they afford it … We must return to transparency, to accountability and to regular order.”
She stated that responsibility for any negative outcomes from a shutdown would fall on Democrats: “Republicans are here to work for the American people. And look, we’re going to continue to do so. It is my hope that some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are committed to doing the same thing. Make no mistake if the government shuts down if federal workers go without a paycheck if things go awry that would be Democrats’ burden to bear.”
Britt concluded by calling on her colleagues across party lines: “It is past time the Democrats get serious and decide if they want to govern or if they just want to follow their leader. I hope that they choose actually doing the work of the American people and not making them pay price for Schumer Shutdowns.
“Mr President decisions need be made in this very chamber tonight and I hope that our colleagues on other side make right one Let us continue work for American people Let us do job that we’ve already started on are committed finishing And let us get Senate back functioning very people serve.”
