Click here to watch Sen. Barrasso’s remarks.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) spoke on the Senate floor about his Thanksgiving trip to Afghanistan with President Trump to visit the troops and the need to pass the defense funding bill.

Excerpts of Senator Barrasso’s remarks:

“I come to the floor today having just spent Thanksgiving Day with our troops serving in Afghanistan.

“It was an incredible honor to join President Trump in a surprise visit to the soldiers stationed at Bagram Air Force Base.

“We served Thanksgiving dinner to our dedicated service members; those are individuals who serve us every day.

“Our troops were thrilled to receive the thanks of our grateful nation directly delivered from the commander-in-chief.

“They know that President Trump has their back.

“It was such a privilege to introduce the president to some of my home state’s Wyoming National Guard members. He actually had two of them up on the stage with him.

“They’re doing a tremendous job on behalf of Wyoming’s largest deployment overseas right now in about a decade.

“We told all of our service members how grateful the nation is for their service and their sacrifice and their dedication.

“Meanwhile here back in Washington, Democrats continue to block the bills tat we need to have passed to keep our nation secure.

“Incredibly, their blocking both the defense authorization and the defense funding bills.

“The whole funding of our national defense expires in two weeks.

“But still the Democrats continue to waste time, precious time, legislative time, on their partisan, obsessive approach to impeachment.

“Their holiday season impeachment is hurting the American people and especially it is hurting our military.

“The defense funding measure includes a well-earned and well-deserved pay raise for the troops. The President told the troops about that on Thanksgiving evening after serving dinner and after eating with them.

“It makes you wonder, why on earth Democrats would block the pay raise right before Christmas?

“It is amazing. They seem to be blocking all of the things that need to be done for our country to move ahead.

“The truth is, they’re so focused on gift-wrapping an impeachment process for the far-left that they have left of us in this country out in the cold.

“They are slow walking so many of the pro-worker, pro-farmer, USMCA trade deals that are so critical for our nation.

“It means certainly a lot for the bread basket of America. It means so much for us in the Rocky Mountain west.

“They’re preventing us from lowering drug costs.

“Above all, people expect us to support our troops.

“One thing after another after another, the Democrats continue to obstruct.

“Republicans are fighting to fully fund the military.

“Democrats are in the process of waging war against the commander-in-chief.

“Remember, both parties came to the table and they completed a bipartisan budget deal this past summer.

“The Democrats went back on their word. And in so doing, they broke faith with the troops and with all Americans.

“Democrats, they filibuster. They impeach. They neglect the troops.

“Really, they’re hurting the American people, not the president.

“The president is busy doing his job.

“This week he’s attended NATO’s 70th anniversary summit.

“Also meeting with U.N. Security Council members.

“U.S. forces, meanwhile, are facing heightened threats with last year’s funding levels.

“While necessary, the stopgap spending resolution that we have right now is taking a toll on our military.

“And here’s why: The short-term funding means that a $22 billion cut from this summer’s bipartisan budget deal.

“It is harming military readiness. It’s harming the training of our troops.

“It has delayed and suspended weapons systems and programs.

“That hasn’t stopped House and Senate Democrats from blocking the full-year defense measures they continue to obstruct.

“Republicans need Democrat support to pass these bills. These need to be bipartisan bills.

“The National Defense Authorization Act has a long history of strong bipartisan support.

“Yet House Democrats continue to delay the final passage.

“Let’s not forget, our troops in harm’s way are far away from home this holiday season.

“They are on the frontlines, they’re defending our freedoms.

“They sacrifice 365 days a year, they do it to protect our nation.

“U.S. service members never complain, never quit.

“And Republicans won’t quit supporting them.

“Yet Democrats remain too obsessed with impeachment to finish important business.

“The question is: Why are Democrats fast-tracking impeachment and filibustering defense legislation?

“Their partisan impeachment production is choreographed down to the final curtain call.

“It is simply a costly, chaotic waste of time.

“I believe most Americans know it, that’s certainly what I hear in Wyoming.

“Democrats turn out to be the Party of No: They have no positive ideas, no positive vision and no positive agenda for America.

“All they want to do is focus on impeachment. Some ran on it, others didn’t. Whether they ran on it or not, that’s what they’re doing and they’re neglecting the American people and the wishes and desires of American families.

“It’s time for the Democrats to stop stonewalling.

“It’s time to pass the defense bill.

“It’s time to give our troops the raise that they have earned and that they deserve.

“Let’s send the right message to our troops, as well as to our adversaries.

“It’s time to pass these defense bills now.”