releases: https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=e0f2b053-ff31-42d6-8ec6-768a838eb704
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
This data as json
| url | title | date | year | month | party | chamber | state | member_name | bioguide_id | domain | scraper | source | date_source | text | has_text | collected_at | updated_at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=e0f2b053-ff31-42d6-8ec6-768a838eb704 | Focus Must Be on Essential Tasks in Lame Duck | 2014-11-12 | 2014 | 2014-11 | Republican | House | KY | Mitch McConnell | M000355 | www.mcconnell.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate Floor regarding his priorities for the remaining session of Congress: “Last week, the American people sent a strong message to Washington. They voted for a new direction. They called for a change in the way we do things here in the Senate. And they sent a new team to Washington to carry their wishes forward. “We plan to do just that. “But several items remain for the outgoing Congress to consider. “That’s our immediate focus. “In the weeks that remain in this Congress, we should work to accomplish the essential tasks of funding the government and preventing retroactive tax hikes. “We must address the expiring authority passed earlier this session for the Department of Defense to train and equip a moderate, vetted Syrian opposition. “And we must continue to support efforts to address the Ebola crisis. “All of this will require cooperation from both sides of the aisle, from both sides of the Rotunda, and from both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue. “The actions of the next few weeks could help set a positive tone for the work of the next Congress — it’s a tone that will depend largely on the Administration’s willingness to respect the message sent last Tuesday. “That’s one of the things we discussed at the White House on Friday. It was a productive meeting. There’s a lot both parties can accomplish together over the next couple years. I hope that happens. I’m optimistic. But working together requires trust. “I think President Obama has a duty to help build the trust we all need to move forward together, not to double-down on old ways of doing business. “That’s why I think moving forward with the unilateral action on immigration he’s planned would be a big mistake. “As was last night’s announcement to essentially give China a free pass on emissions while hurting middle-class families and struggling miners here at home. “Last Friday, the President said that the American people would like to see more cooperation in Washington. “He said he thinks all of us have the responsibility, himself in particular, to try and make that happen. “That is the kind of tone the American people are looking for. Now it’s on folks in Washington to calibrate their actions accordingly. “So let’s not do things to hurt the possibility of cooperative partnership. “Let’s step back and focus on what can be accomplished together. “Let’s listen to the American people.” | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |