{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/appropriations-vice-chairman-leahys-statement-on-a-continuing-resolution-through-december-22", "Appropriations Vice Chairman Leahy's Statement On A Continuing Resolution Through December 22", "2017-12-07", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "VT", "Patrick Leahy", "L000174", "www.leahy.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.07.17\n\t\t\t Appropriations Vice Chairman Leahy's Statement On A Continuing Resolution Through December 22 \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tThe current spending caps set in place by law will not responsibly fund the government or alleviate the consequences of sequestration on our domestic priorities or our military readiness. Since March, I have constantly repeated that we must reach a bipartisan budget deal that is based on parity, free of poison pill riders and not waste taxpayer dollars on President Trump\u2019s useless border wall.\u00a0 But with the current continuing resolution expiring tomorrow, we are running out of time to reach an agreement.\r\nThe continuing resolution before us today will allow us more time to reach a bipartisan agreement and keep the government\u2019s lights on during negotiations.\u00a0 The key to a successful negotiation is parity. Sequestration has had devastating consequences on our country that will impact a generation, but we must raise the caps on both sides of the ledger\u2014defense and non-defense.\u00a0\r\nThis is not an academic exercise.\u00a0 The decisions we make here today have real impacts on people\u2019s lives.\u00a0 There is no question that sequestration has hurt our military readiness, but it has also hurt our Nation\u2019s economy and led to a decline in critical government services on which millions of Americans depend.\u00a0\u00a0\r\nOur veterans have been short-changed.\u00a0 An average of 558,000 veterans fail to get a healthcare appointment within the 30-day standard.\u00a0 The average wait time for the VA to process a benefit appeal is over three years.\u00a0\r\nOur infrastructure is crumbling.\u00a0 America now gets a D+ rating from the American Society of Civil Engineers.\u00a0 This means the roads, bridges, dams, drinking water, public parks and schools we all use and depend on have a near failing grade.\u00a0\u00a0\r\nEducation programs have suffered.\u00a0 The purchasing power of the maximum Pell Grant now covers only 29 percent of the average price for college.\u00a0\r\nOur elderly citizens are getting short-changed.\u00a0 More than 1 million Social Security benefits appeals are backlogged an average of 605 days.\u00a0 An estimated 10,000 people die each year before their appeals are completed.\u00a0 I could go on and on.\u00a0\r\nIf we raise the caps for defense programs but do not also raise the caps to properly fund our non-defense priorities, we will still short-change our men and women in uniform.\u00a0 If we do not invest in our Nation\u2019s economy and educate our youth, the military will not have the expertise, qualified soldiers, or advanced research that it needs to be the best in the world. \u00a0If we do not invest in diplomacy, our world becomes less safe \u2013 and we are less safe.\u00a0 And we would fail to provide the level of care for our veterans that they deserve.\r\nI am confident that we can reach an agreement that addresses our country\u2019s needs and responsibly funds our government.\u00a0 It is discouraging that the President has cast doubt on these negotiations and has even invited a \u201cgood government shutdown.\u201d\u00a0 Even more discouraging is a recent Washington Post story reporting that the President has told confidants that a government shutdown would be good for him politically.\u00a0 This is irresponsible and no way to govern.\u00a0 In all my years in the Senate, with Republican and Democratic Presidents alike, never have I heard such damaging rhetoric come from the President of the United States.\r\nThe last Republican shutdown in 2013 dealt a devastating blow to the Nation\u2019s economic growth, amounting to an estimated $1.5 billion lost for each of the 16 days of the shutdown.\u00a0 Federal workers were furloughed, through no fault of their own, for a combined total of 6.6 million days, stalling important research and grinding our government to a halt.\u00a0\r\nTo be clear, the Republicans are in charge of the House, the Senate, and the White House.\u00a0 If there is a Republican shutdown this fiscal year, it is because they want one.\u00a0 I hope that the two-week continuing resolution that is before us is an indication that they will not go down that path.\u00a0 Republicans should work with Democrats to produce a responsible, bipartisan budget deal that meets the needs of our Nation.\u00a0 We have squandered enough time.\u00a0 I stand ready \u2013 as I have been since March \u2013 to work with the Republican leadership to secure the funding agreements we need to complete our appropriations work for this fiscal year.\u00a0 This two-week continuing resolution will give us that chance.\u00a0 I urge an aye vote.\u00a0\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t Press Contact \n\t\t\t\tDavid Carle: 202-224-3693\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\n\t\n  \n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/appropriations-vice-chairman-leahys-statement-on-a-continuing-resolution-through-december-22"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8415761403739452, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}