“In 52 days, the 119th Congress ends. Senate Republicans will make every second count.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) today outlined the Senate Republican agenda for the next 52 days, including confirming judges to lifetime appointments, confirming President Donald J. Trump’s qualified nominees, passing permitting reform, and funding the government.
Click HERE to watch Senator Barrasso’s remarks.
Sen. Barrasso’s remarks:
“In 52 days, the 119th Congress ends. Senate Republicans will make every second count. The American people sent a clear message last Tuesday. Republicans heard them. We know we have work to do to regain their trust. We will do this by delivering results. That work has already begun. Republicans are still in the majority. President Trump is still in the White House.
“In the next 52 days, we have important work to complete. We will waste no time. We will confirm dozens of conservative federal judges to the courts. We will confirm many qualified nominees to positions across the federal government. We will pass historic permitting reform. We will fund the government. Some of this work will be bipartisan. Some of it will require long hours. Senate Republicans are ready for both.
“We welcome bipartisanship when it serves the national interest. Bipartisanship can never come at the expense of conservative values. We will never apologize for our conservative convictions.
“Let me begin with judges. In the coming days, we will have two dozen federal judges to confirm. Federal judges serve for life. Their decisions will shape our laws for generations. These will be judges who will uphold the Constitution and apply the law as written.
“Under Chairman Grassley, the Senate Judiciary Committee has advanced judges at the fastest pace since Ronald Reagan. Now, we must finish the work. If that means long days, we are here to work. If that means late nights, we are here to work. We will leave no vacancy behind.
“The same commitment applies to nominees across the federal government. Our committees are working to approve nominees under their jurisdiction. We will complete a final nominations package before the end of the year. President Trump deserves to have his team in place. Senate Republicans will deliver.
“Next, Republicans will continue to work to lower costs. American families are feeling the pain of high prices. They need relief. Fixing our country’s broken permitting system is one of the best ways to provide relief.
“America is ready to build. We have the ability to build. We need to get Washington, D.C., out of the way. Many energy projects that would help lower prices remain frozen for years waiting for approval from the federal government. Even after being approved, lengthy lawsuits can drive up costs and create uncertainty.
“Senator Capito of West Virginia and Senator Lee of Utah have worked with their Democrat counterparts to write a bipartisan bill that makes it easier to build. Their legislation streamlines environmental reviews. It also reins in out-of-control judicial review and abusive lawsuits.
“These reforms are common sense. Building better, faster, cheaper, and smarter is the right path to lower energy costs for families. It is the responsible path both
to respond to our nation’s energy needs and to respect the environment. That is why, this week, 73 Senators voted in favor of cutting through the government red tape that slows down our progress. Republicans support it. Democrats support it. President Trump will sign it. Congress needs to pass it.
“What I hear is that Democrats in the House and Democrats who will be coming to the House in January are not so sure. Let me remind the Democrats – specifically the current Minority Leader in the Democrat House – of what even The New York Times had to say in an Editorial, November 12, posted today on their website. It said, ‘The Senate this week is debating a bill on the subject that is more important than it sounds.’ Even The New York Times admits what we’re doing here is more important than it sounds – it is permitting reform. They go on to say, ‘This bill would make it easier to build solar energy farms, battery storage, power lines, and more.’ As a result, they say, ‘It will reduce energy prices.’ That’s what Republicans and Democrats on this Floor have been saying for the last several weeks. ‘The status quo is expensive, dirty, and unstable. The country needs to build a lot of big new things to make its future cheaper and cleaner.’
“There is a lot to this Editorial that the House of Representatives and the incoming Democrats ought to pay attention to. Which is why it’s important for Democrats, not just in this body but across the hall in the House, to get in line and get this done and get those prices down. It’s critical, and I’m happy to see such bipartisan work being done right here in the United States Senate.
“With regard to government funding, Republicans will keep the government open. Government funding runs out in less than a month. It is the responsibility of Congress to fund the government. Republicans want to keep the government open, pay our troops, and protect essential services.
“Some Democrats are threatening to once again shut down the government. They intend to do this right before Christmas. The last thing this country needs is another painful, chaotic Democrat government shutdown. For families who live paycheck to paycheck – including military families – a Democrat shutdown means more strain, more stress, and more suffering.
“I’ve heard Senator Schumer come to this Floor and talk endlessly about chaos. Nothing would be more chaotic than a decision by Senator Schumer and Democrats to once again shut down the government.
“The American people sent a clear message last Tuesday. Republicans are listening. We are committed to regaining their trust. We will do this by delivering results. The Senate has important work to do in the next 52 days. Republicans will stand strong, united, and energized on behalf of the American people.”
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