Government Re-opens, Missing FBI Texts and more...

January 23, 2018
The Ponder News Web Site
http://thepondernews.com

Julia Brownly (D-CA, 26th) signs as Co-sponsor to Protect Net Neutrality
The Ponder News
“FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s decision in December to roll back net neutrality protections was incredibly concerning. I’m proud to sign on as an original co-sponsor supporting the Congressional resolution to reverse this action, so that the net neutrality protections put in place by President Obama are restored. Rather than ping ponging back and forth from one Administration to another, Congress should pass legislation to lay down permanent rules of the road for industry, while ensuring that net neutrality continues to inspire innovation, create jobs, protect free speech, and enable the advancement of civil rights.”

Andy Biggs (R-AZ, 5th)
The Ponder News
“This latest revelation from the DOJ is outrageous, but not surprising. Peter Strzok and Lisa Page believed that then-candidate Donald Trump was a threat to this country and appeared to be taking steps, as sworn members of law enforcement, to subvert the will of the American people. Now, it seems that many of their text messages may have suspiciously disappeared.

“Few Americans would ever be allowed to offer up a specious excuse for losing information required for audit. Why should our government be any different? How is this different than the Hillary Clinton erased emails?

“As I’ve maintained since last summer, Robert Mueller’s appointment as Special Counsel is tainted. His position is clouded by a disgruntled former FBI Director’s potentially criminal leaks of government memos to influence an ongoing investigation. At every step of Congress’s attempts to provide Constitutional oversight to the DOJ and the FBI, we have been met with unparalleled resistance. My patience is wearing thin. The FBI is not an independent agency, yet its leaders appear to think they do not answer to Congress or the President. They are wrong. If they continue to lose or withhold requested information, they will soon experience the consequences that Congress can – and should – provide.”

Missing FBI Text Messages
The Ponder News
On Sunday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) revealed that it had failed to preserve five months of text messages between Peter Strzok and Lisa Page. The end date of the missing texts coincides with the appointment of Special Counsel Robert Mueller. Peter Strzok served on the Special Counsel’s team before being demoted due to the text messages he had sent to Ms. Page.
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Remarks by Vice President Mike Pence and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel in Joint Press Statements
The White House
Yesterday, Prime Minister Netanyahu welcomed Vice President Mike Pence to Israel and expressed Israel’s appreciation to President Trump and the Vice President for the historic decision last month to recognize Jerusalem as the capital.
Read it...
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/remarks-vice-president-mike-pence-prime-minister-benjamin-netanyahu-israel-joint-press-statements/

Ami Bera (D-CA, 7th)
The Ponder News
"This shutdown was a failure of leadership. Congressional leaders refused to sit down and hammer out a deal.

Washington is broken, but if we refuse to negotiate we’ll never fix things. Republican leaders have pledged that we will get to vote on critical issues, including a responsible budget, stabilizing the health care marketplace, and bipartisan immigration reform.

Congress is elected to serve the people. It’s time we stop bickering, roll up our sleeves, and get to work.”

Joyce Beatty (D-OH, 3rd)
The Ponder News
“I support keeping the government open, but Congress should not be funding government operations on a week-by-week basis that just kicks the can down the road. The House, the Senate, and White House are under Republican control, so I would expect that a long-term agreement could be reached to fund community health centers, natural disaster relief, teaching hospitals, and on a whole host of critical federal government programs and initiatives. We should not have to choose between funding our military and saving lives in our communities.”

Nanette Barragan (D-CA, 44th)
The Ponder News
“I voted against the fifth continuing resolution because we are right back where we started: another short-term funding bill that does not address critical bipartisan issues. I will continue to oppose any budget deal that does not protect Dreamers. And I will insist that any budget deal adequately funds community health centers, provides resources to combat the opioid crisis and offers relief for victims of natural disasters.”

Andy Barr (R-KY, 6th)
The Ponder News
“While it is three days late, it is nonetheless a positive development that enough Senate Democrats have finally agreed to what Republicans proposed all along: a short term funding bill that keeps the government open and operating, funds our troops, and ensures that millions of American kids can still access the Children’s Health Insurance Program. The end of Senator Schumer’s obstruction allows us to return to good faith negotiations on a longer term funding agreement and also clears the path for work on a strong immigration reform and border security bill.”

BARLETTA CELEBRATES NATIONAL SCHOOL CHOICE WEEK
Lou Barletta (R-PA, 11th)
National School Choice Week (NSCW) is held every January to celebrate effective education choice options for children in grades K through 12. NSCW celebrates all types of education choice – from traditional public schools to public charter schools, magnet schools, online academies, private schools, and homeschooling. This year, over 32,000 NSCW events will be held across the country from January 21 – 27. Congressman Lou Barletta (PA-11), who is the father of two teachers, applauded the tremendous strides taken for school choice across America.
Read more...
https://barletta.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/barletta-celebrates-national-school-choice-week

Jim Banks (R-IN, 3rd)
The Ponder News
"This shutdown was reckless and unnecessary. I am glad Senate Democrats have decided to reopen the government and get back to work.

“This legislation is important for northeast Indiana. It stops the job-killing medical device tax for two years, which is vital to employers and workers in our region. The legislation also extends CHIP funding for six years, an important program that serves 13,155 children in Indiana’s Third District.”

Brian Babin (R-TX, 36th)
The Ponder News
“Senate Democrats have finally come to their senses and agreed to end the #SchumerShutdown and re-open the federal government. But let’s be clear: For three days, Democrats in Congress held our troops and children’s health care hostage in order to get their way on illegal immigration. In the end, their reckless tactics did not work and common sense prevailed. It is my hope that my Democrat colleagues will have learned their lesson and start focusing on the concerns of America’s citizens. The American people deserve much better than politically manufactured shutdowns that put a hand full of illegal immigrants over the safety and security of the American public.”

'Lost' Texts From Anti-Trump FBI Agents Are Basis To Dismiss Russia Investigation, Experts Suggest
Daily Wire
Legal experts say the revelation that the FBI somehow "lost" five months worth of text messages from two anti-Trump FBI employees could form the legal grounds needed to dismiss Robert Mueller's Russia investigation.
Read more...
https://www.dailywire.com/news/26211/lost-texts-anti-trump-fbi-agents-are-basis-dismiss-ryan-saavedra#

No Deal: Schumer Yanks Offer Of Funding For Border Wall
Hot Air
C’mon, did anyone expect otherwise? Knowing that he was going to get clubbed by liberals for caving on the shutdown, the least Schumer could do to save a little face and soothe the progressive id would be to tear up the offer he made to Trump last Friday to carve out a few billion for the wall. Democrats just got thwarted on a DREAM amnesty; at a minimum, Schumer’s now obliged to thwart Trump on his big ask too.
Read more...
https://hotair.com/archives/2018/01/23/no-deal-schumer-yanks-offer-funding-border-wall/

Aumua Amata (R - American Samoa, At Large)
The Ponder News
“Authorization of CHIP for six years is great news for American Samoa, and I’m pleased the unnecessary government shutdown ended quickly. The Children’s Health Insurance Program helps make sure health care services are available to many children. Once again, we can count on this important plan being available to take care of needs and help keep children healthy.”

The End of the Government Shutdown Has Opened a Torrent of Media Anger at Democrats
Western Journalism
The three-day-long government shutdown ended Monday, sparking accusations from mainstream media reporters and liberal activists that Democrats caved on immigration reform.

Senate Democrats originally forced a shutdown by refusing to support a spending bill. They were upset that it did not address the roughly 700,000 illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. as children and were protected under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

But on Monday, lawmakers reached a deal to keep the government funded through Feb. 8.
Read more...
https://www.westernjournal.com/end-government-shutdown-opened-torrent-media-anger-democrats/

Rick Allen (R-GA, 12th)
The Ponder News
“I am relieved that my Senate Democratic colleagues finally did what was right and joined Republicans to vote to fund the government. It is simply inexcusable that they kept funding for our troops and this government hostage for the past three days. We heard their message loud and clear ‘illegal immigrants are more important than American citizens' – and that is just plain wrong.”

US kills 150 ISIS fighters in Syria airstrike during government shutdown, Pentagon says
Fox News
While ISIS has lost 98 percent of its territory, the remaining 2 percent held by the terror group includes an area around the Syrian city of Al-Shaafah, where the strike took place. Top U.S. military officials believe the head of ISIS, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, is hiding in the area.
Read more...
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/01/23/us-kills-150-isis-fighters-in-syria-airstrike-during-government-shutdown-pentagon-says.html

Ralph Abraham (R-LA, 5th)
The Ponder News
"Thanks to immense pressure from the American public and President Trump, Democrats in the Senate have finally agreed with Republicans to fund the government. Their shutdown accomplished nothing - it kept funding from sick children, risked pay checks for our troops and failed to resolve any immigration issue. Washington can come up with some crazy ways to waste time and money, but this pointless shutdown that Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi orchestrated probably takes the cake."

Comments on Government Shutdown From the Senate

Senator Lamar Alexander (R - TN)

“Tennesseans elected me to make the government work for taxpayers, not to shut it down. We are close to agreement on legislation to increase military spending, extend the children’s health insurance program, lower insurance rates for self-employed people, provide disaster relief and begin to deal with immigration issues. Democrats are voting to shut down the government; I’m voting to keep it open and solve problems. There is no excuse whatsoever for shutting down the government."

Senator John Barrasso - (R - WY)

“Nobody benefits from shutting down the government, especially when there are ongoing threats to the security and safety of Americans. I voted today to fund our military and extend for six years the Children’s Health Insurance Program for needy families. It is irresponsible that some sought this shutdown over their agenda on illegal immigration.”

Senator Michael F. Bennet - (D - CO)

"This is no way to run our government. In the last 10 years I've been in the Senate, we have passed 36 temporary budget extensions. Tonight's would have been the 37th such half measure. Another four-week continuing resolution would put us right back in the same position. Our own Department of Defense has made it abundantly clear how damaging these resolutions are to our military's ability to train and maintain its readiness to fight and protect our nation.

"Without a strategy, the President chose to end the DACA protections and urged Congress to legislate a solution. In response, a bipartisan group of senators worked for months and reached an agreement to protect the Dreamers. This should be part of any long-term budget package.

"In addition to this issue, we had substantial bipartisan support to fix how we fund the Forest Service and fight our wildfires, and to provide long-term funding for our children's health insurance program and emergency relief to help us recover from recent disasters. These should have been included as well.

"I am convinced that there are people of goodwill in this chamber who want to reach a resolution on behalf of the American people, and we should continue working until we do so."

Senator Shelley Moore Capito - (R-WV)
(With U.S. Representatives Evan Jenkins (R-W.Va.) and David McKinley (R-W.Va.) )

“We proudly cast a vote to do right by West Virginians—to keep the government open, to fund our nation’s military, and to reauthorize CHIP for six years. Sadly, Senate Democrats chose to play politics instead of work with us to get to the 60 votes needed in the Senate to prevent a shutdown. Senator Schumer, you are putting your political agenda ahead of what’s best for West Virginia. We have 21,391 children who rely on CHIP, and they’re waiting for you to help protect their health insurance. It’s time for you to set aside partisanship and work on the issues immediately before us so we can reopen the government, pay our troops, and pass a long-term CHIP reauthorization.”

Senator Thomas R. Carper - (D - DE)

“Anyone who knows me knows I believe that, if we work hard enough, there is almost always a principled solution to be found for any problem. This bill, which fails to address longstanding bipartisan priorities, is not that solution. Congress and the Trump Administration have got to stop scrambling at the last minute and governing through continuing resolutions that are woefully inefficient, wasteful and demoralizing.

“In Matthew 25, the scripture asks, ‘when I was a stranger in your land, did you welcome me?’ The idea of sending nearly one million Dreamers away from the only home they’ve ever known is not only heartless, but it flies in the face of our nation’s economic self-interest. A key ingredient in continuing our economic expansion is ensuring we have a workforce that enables employers from coast to coast to fill the millions of jobs that are going unfilled today. At a time when employers across the country are struggling to find high-quality workers to fill millions of jobs, it’s insane that we would send packing nearly one million hardworking young men and women who are striving for the American dream. That sounds like economic malfeasance to me.

“The months have come and gone, and Dreamers are still living in uncertainty and fear of deportation. Meanwhile, millions of families have been desperately waiting on Congress to pass long-term funding for children’s health insurance and community health centers. Communities across the country are struggling to rebuild in the aftermath of disasters. Americans from all walks of life are suffering as our country grapples with a deadly opioid epidemic.

“We in Congress have run out of excuses to explain why we’ve put these and other urgent issues on the backburner, and relied on multiple stopgap spending bills to keep our government up and running on autopilot. It’s an irresponsible way to govern that enables Congress and the Trump Administration to continue lurching from one manufactured crisis to the next without addressing some of the greatest challenges facing our nation.

“During his meeting with our Democratic leader in the White House yesterday, President Trump was offered the one thing that he’s sought the most—authorization for building a wall along our nation’s southern border. Apparently, that’s not enough. Walking away from that offer has to make me think that the president really meant what we said when he said previously that our country ‘needs a good shutdown.’ In truth, there’s no such thing as a ‘good shutdown.’

“If President Trump and my Republican colleagues come to the table, willing to negotiate in good faith, they’ll find earnest partners in me and my fellow Democrats. It’s time we come together and strike a deal.”

Senator Cathrine Cortez Masto - (D - NV)

“Every Member of Congress must come together and work to find a solution to end the Trump shutdown. I will not go home and will not take a salary for as long as my constituents are being impacted by President Trump’s irresponsible choice to shut down the government. Senator McConnell and President Trump have an opportunity to work in a bipartisan way for the benefit of all Americans. It is time to work together on a bipartisan compromise that puts Dreamers on a pathway to citizenship and ensures the long-term health, economic and security needs of all Nevadans.”

U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) announced that she will donate her salary as a United States Senator to a charity in the State of Nevada for every day the government remains shutdown by President Trump and Senator McConnell.

Senator Michael B. Enzi - (R - WY)

“I voted to avoid a government shutdown and fund a critical health insurance program for low-income children, but sadly the bill failed to advance,” Enzi said. “While short-term funding bills are not ideal, at this time it is certainly better than the alternative, which could mean limiting services for military families, veterans and countless other Americans. And it appears that some of my colleagues are unwilling to fund the government not because they oppose what is in the bill, but because of unrelated demands on immigration. Congress should continue its bipartisan negotiations on border security and immigration, but in the meantime should not hold government funding hostage over it. I hope my colleagues will reassess their priorities.”

Senator Deb Fischer- (R - NE)

“I’m disappointed the Senate was unable to work together to fund the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for six years, take care of our military, and keep the government open. I voted for this measure and I am a cosponsor of a bill to extend the CHIP program. I strongly believe we need to get this done for children in Nebraska and across the nation.”

Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO)

“Opposing this funding legislation is support for a government shutdown, and I believe that approach is unacceptable for Coloradans,” said Gardner. “I voted to keep the government open because our military, veterans, children’s health insurance programs, and fundamental government services like opioid treatment centers should not be held hostage for political reasons. I will continue to work with any of my colleagues who are interested in finding a long-term solution to fund our government.

“I will also continue to work with members on both sides of the aisle to gain support for bipartisan immigration reform that includes border security measures and protections for Dreamers, but shutting down the government over the issue won’t get us closer to a solution.”

Senator Lindsey Graham - (R - SC)

“Leader McConnell mentioned last night he was willing to make a proposal for a CR through February 8 and seek resolution on immigration, disaster relief, military and government funding, CHIP, and other health care related issues. I would support such a proposal.

“I also agree with Senator McConnell we are close to a resolution on all these issues.

“After extensive discussions with Senators, on both sides of the aisle, I believe such a proposal would pass if it was understood that after February 8, the Senate would move to an immigration debate with an open amendment process if no agreement has been reached with the White House and House of Representatives.

“This will guarantee the Border Security/DACA issue will be brought forward with an open amendment process for resolution no later than February 8th. I’m confident we can find a solution to Border Security/DACA once we start the process. Success on this will lead to a breakthrough on all other issues.

“After my discussions with numerous senators on both sides of the aisle last night it is clear to me a commitment to move to immigration after February 8th is the key to ending the government shutdown and finding resolution on all the outstanding issues.

“However, having the time only matters if there is the will to get the job done. General Mattis’s statement yesterday that defense cuts and continuing resolutions have done more damage to the American military than any enemy on the battlefield was very sobering. Military necessity —combined with the reality that DACA recipient lives will soon be turned upside down — provides the incentive for Congress to get it right once and for all.

“In light of these realities, I’m hopeful there will be overwhelming bipartisan support for the February 8 proposal.”

Senator Orrin G. Hatch (R - UT)

“Bipartisan majorities in both the House and Senate supported a non-controversial bill to keep the government funded. But Democrats filibustered this bill, voting instead to shut down the government and block funding for CHIP. They own this mess. But now we need to work together to clean it up. And we won’t make any progress by continuing to invent imaginary deadlines. Now is not the time for political brinkmanship but for responsible governance. Millions are depending on us to do the right thing—and we cannot let them down. So let’s get this done, and let’s get it done right.”

Senator James M. Inhofe (R - OK)

“I have been through every shutdown in the last 30 years. This is the first time there can be no question if you want to say whose fault it is…it is the Democrats.

“Let me tell you, Mr. President, I don’t know of one Republican serving in the United States Senate that isn’t very sympathetic to the [DACA] kids, and particularly the ones who were not here by their own choice. They didn’t personally violate any laws. We want to take care of them. We’re going to take care of them. Our president is going to take care of them. …

“Yesterday, it was Secretary Mattis. He was very clear…he said a shutdown would have a ‘terrible impact’ on two million men, women and their families who serve in our military. A terrible impact. Now, there are approximately 200,000 troops currently forward deployed who are now doing their jobs without pay. Secretary Mattis said all maintenance operations for the military will cease as long as there is a shutdown. That’s all maintenance. When you go through a starvation diet as we have over eight years of the previous administration, the first thing that is always hit is maintenance because that’s not obvious. …

“In Oklahoma, we especially know what’s important – our civilian workforce. The civilian workforce, by the way, in a shutdown is going to be out of business…Tinker, the Air Force depot that performs the maintenance and overhauls our planes, they’re going to be shut down. We have another one in McAlester, Oklahoma. It’s one that has all civilian employees. We have one uniformed officer and all the rest of them are civilian employees… Over half of the civilian workforce will be sent home and those projects will be halted. The impact will ripple for weeks and potentially months beyond the shutdown; once we open back up there will be a high cost of catching back up and getting things back on schedule.

“We have to recognize we’re in this threatened position, and a lot of Democrats have long claimed support for the military, but when the rubber meets the road, they have the problem that was established when President Obama was president—that we’re not going to do anything for the military to rebuild the military unless we put an equal amount of money into the nondefense programs.…

“I sometimes tell people that up until 1964 we were spending half of all the revenues that came into the federal government on defending America. And that’s what we’re supposed to be doing…You know what it is now, Mr. President? It is 15 percent. So we’re only devoting 15 percent of our total revenues to defending America. …

“The one thing that shouldn’t happen at in this time in our history is to have a shutdown. I think about my state of Oklahoma. Six hundred and sixty-three (663) Oklahoma Army National Guard soldiers are being sent home from planned training. Over 100,000 National Guardsmen are being sent home around the country…

“As we face threats from North Korea, Iran, Islamic extremism and Russian aggression-- not to mention our severe readiness crisis-- we can’t afford the negative effects of a shutdown.”

Senator Johnny Isakson - (R - GA)

“It’s time to stop the theatrics and get to the business of governing.

“For too long, we have been kicking the can down the road on an operating budget for our government. A continuing resolution is not the path I would choose for good governing. Now, we can’t even put aside partisan differences and agree to move forward on a continuing resolution under which we all agree on the big underlying priorities. We can’t even agree to extend the Children’s Health Insurance Program for six years so that low-income kids and their families can have access to the health care they need.

“We should immediately be funding children’s health care, our men and women in uniform, our veterans and our seniors as well as other critical functions of the government and not playing political games with our country and our citizens. Shutting down the government is the wrong solution and always causes bigger problems in the end.”

Senator Ron Johnson- (R - WI)

“Unfortunately, Senator Baldwin and 43 of her colleagues decided to play politics with people’s lives by refusing to fund health care for vulnerable children, support for the finest among us serving in the military, and the rest of government.”

Senator Tim Kaine (D - VA)
With Senator Mark R.Warner (D - VA)

“A year after Donald Trump became President, he and Republican leaders in Congress have delivered the shutdown he’s been calling for. Those who will suffer the most from his actions are federal employees and DoD personnel in Virginia who have already been hurt as we lurch from one budget crisis to the next. We put forward offer after offer tonight to prevent a shutdown and keep the government open over the weekend so we could work together to finalize a deal. Republicans rejected every single one. Virginians are counting on us to pass a bill that funds our military, education and health care programs, extends the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and protects Dreamers. We’re still at the table so we can reach that deal, and Republicans should reopen the government immediately and join us.”

Senator Angus S. King Jr. (I - ME)

“For 20 years, Congress hasn’t had a budget on time. Instead, we’ve opted to kick difficult decisions a little bit further down the road through continuing resolutions, leaving important priorities unfinished. This isn’t what our constituents sent us here to do, and we shouldn’t continue taking half-steps on issues that can be resolved in a bipartisan fashion. Nobody wanted to shut the government down, and we didn’t have to – there was enough middle ground between both sides to reach an agreement if only we’d worked together earlier in the process. Moving forward, I am open to a short-term continuing resolution that allows us to finalize the details of a deal, but first we need the framework of that deal. Now is the time for responsible governing; I hope Congressional leadership will rise to the task.”

Senator Patrick J. Leahy (D - VT)

Mr. President, months ago, President Donald Trump called for a government shutdown, and through his leadership of chaos and his inability to govern or keep his word, he got exactly what he wanted.

Make no mistake, it is the Majority’s responsibility to produce a bill to send to the President. If they cannot get 60 votes because they refuse to negotiate with Democrats, that is THEIR responsibility. All they needed was nine Democrats, and they could not get it done – in fact they lost four of their own members. They could not get it done because Republicans shut Democrats out of their closed-door meetings – disenfranchising more than half of the American people -- and only appealed for our support after they had written a bill without our input.

On the first day of this Trump Shutdown, the anniversary of his inauguration, we are 112 days into the fiscal year. For 112 days, Republican leadership told us they “just need more time” to negotiate a bipartisan deal.

But they spent that time pursuing a hyper-partisan agenda over the last year. They stripped health care from millions of Americans. They rolled back common sense regulations. And they passed a tax bill for big corporations and the super wealthy on the backs of the middle class and working people.

This was not time spent negotiating in good faith on the budget, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program, or for veterans, or Community Health Centers, or Dreamers, or a comprehensive disaster relief package.

Last night, Republican leadership asked us for yet another month to negotiate. Another month into the fiscal year. Another month of not addressing the consequences of sequestration by reaching a bipartisan deal that increases spending on our military and invests in our communities. And another month where we fail to adequately take care of our veterans.

Our military leaders agree. We cannot govern by continuing resolution, and the military cannot function under sequestration. We need a budget deal. It was Defense Secretary Mattis who said: “[F]or all the heartache caused by the loss of our troops during these wars, no enemy in the field has done more to harm the readiness of our military than sequestration.”

Last night, I could not in good conscience support another continuing resolution without even the promise of a bipartisan deal.

Democrats have been ready and willing and asking to negotiate since June. In July, I offered a path forward that would have raised the budget caps set in place by the Budget Control Act. This plan would have increased spending for our military by $54 billion and increased investments in our domestic priorities by $54 billion. Parity has always been the path forward. It has allowed us to both strengthen our military and invest in our infrastructure, improve education, combat the opioid epidemic, and address the needs of our veterans. These are bipartisan priorities shared by my friends on both sides of the aisle, in both chambers of Congress, and by the American public.

But for 112 days now, Republican leadership kicked the can down the road, casting aside the basic responsibility of Congress to fund the federal government. They gave us this government shutdown, and at the head of their charge was the careening leadership and chaos of President Trump.

President Trump was for extending CHIP in the House bill, and then he was against it. The President said he would sign any bipartisan deal we brought to his desk to protect the Dreamers and increase border security, and then he scoffed at a bipartisan deal that met his terms. This is not steady-as-he-goes leadership.

If we cannot trust the word of the President when we know he is only a tweet away from changing his mind, why should we trust him when he says he will take care of our veterans, or get serious about the opioid epidemic? Why should we trust his word when he says he wants to protect the Dreamers?

After promising to treat DACA recipients with “great heart,” President Trump and Republicans instead held our nation’s Dreamers hostage. They caved to xenophobic voices within their party. President Trump rejected a bipartisan deal—the only bipartisan DACA deal—which Senators Graham, Durbin and others specifically crafted to meet the president’s demands. As we speak, 122 Dreamers lose their status each day. And we know that on March 5th hundreds of thousands of DACA recipients will begin to lose their status due to President Trump’s actions. Republicans now argue there is no urgency to provide protections to Dreamers. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. And the Trump Administration has acknowledged to Congress that implementing any Dream legislation will take up to six months - during which tens of thousands more could lose their status. Since President Trump decided to revoke their protected status, these hundreds of thousands of Dreamers have had to live with fear and anxiety every day that their status is not resolved.

President Trump’s views of this program seem to change constantly, almost daily, leaving any observer prone to suffering whiplash. Dreamers have no reason to believe that President Trump will not prioritize them for deportation. Indeed, his administration has asked the Supreme Court to immediately nullify a district court decision that protected DACA recipients. And his administration appears to have no sense of enforcement priorities. It has unabashedly detained a 10-year old Texas girl with cerebral palsy and deported a Michigan father with no criminal record who came to this country as a child 30 years ago.

Even the Majority Leader is uncertain of what the President wants for the Dreamers or for any path forward for that matter. The Majority Leader said earlier this week: “As soon as we figure out what [President Trump] is for, then I would be convinced that we were not just spinning our wheels.”

Well, we are spinning our wheels in the Trump Shutdown because Republican leadership waited for guidance from the President instead of doing their jobs, working with us, and sending a bipartisan deal to his desk. We are spinning our wheels because President Trump repeatedly called for a government shutdown, and he got exactly what he wanted.

Today, medical research has ground to a halt. Today, in Vermont and across the Nation, hundreds of thousands of federal workers are furloughed, through no fault of their own. In Vermont and across the Nation, every additional hour of the Trump Shutdown deals another blow to the men and women trying to recover from opioid addiction. Every hour the burden of the Trump Shutdown should weigh heavier on his shoulders. Because there is only one person in country who wanted this shutdown, and that is President Trump.

The Trump Shutdown is not and was not necessary. We have always had all the pieces. We all want to raise the budget caps set in place by the Budget Control Act and stop the devastating consequences of sequestration. We all want to take care of the bipartisan Children’s Health Insurance Program. We have a bipartisan agreement to protect the Dreamers.

We have all the pieces. We just need the courage to do our jobs.

Senator John McCain (R - AZ)

“The government shutdown is a direct result of the breakdown of cooperation in Congress. It has been clear from the beginning we would need a bipartisan budget agreement to lift the caps on defense spending and fully fund our military. Yet four months into the current fiscal year, we are nowhere near reaching a deal on long-term legislation to properly train, equip and prepare our forces in the face of rising threats around the world.

“As Republicans and Democrats run to cable news to point fingers and assign blame, the hard reality is that all of us share responsibility for this failure. For years, under both a Republican and Democrat-controlled Congress and White House, partisanship has taken precedent over national security. Political gamesmanship, an unwillingness to compromise, and a lack of resolve on both sides have led us to this point. Shamefully, no one will incur more harm than our brave men and women who have volunteered to fight and die for our freedom.

“Without long-term, stable and predictable funding for the military, our service members will pay the price. Troops will be denied scheduled training. Ship maintenance backlogs will grow. A depleted force will continue to shrink. And readiness will further suffer. At a time when more service members are dying in routine training accidents than in combat, asking the military to continue doing more with less is a disgraceful dereliction of our foremost duty in Congress to defend the nation.

“It’s time that both sides put politics aside, come to the table, and compromise on an agreement that will give our service members the training, equipment and resources they need to succeed.”

Senator Claire McCaskill (D - MO)

“While I voted yes tonight to continue funding the government, it's embarrassing how badly this place is being run. I'm disgusted that Mitch McConnell waited three months until after the expiration of the Children’s Health Insurance Program to decide it was a crisis. I'm disgusted that we offered the President border security measures he wanted, and yet he still chose the chaos of a shutdown. I’m disgusted most of all that we've quit governing in the middle, from a place of compromise and consensus, which is what Missourians expect and deserve, what I strive for every day. My focus now is on making sure we take care of our military servicemembers and our veterans during any lapse in government funding, and that we get back to governing as quickly as possible.”

Senator Mitch McConnell (R - KY)

“What we just witnessed on the floor was a cynical decision by Senate Democrats to shove aside millions of Americans for the sake of irresponsible political games. A government shutdown was one hundred percent avoidable. Completely avoidable. Now it is imminent. All because Senate Democrats chose to filibuster a noncontroversial funding bill that contains nothing –not a thing – they do not support. Perhaps, across the aisle, some of my Democratic colleagues are feeling proud of themselves.

“But what has their filibuster accomplished? The answer is simple – their very own government shutdown. Shutdown effects on the American people will come as no surprise. All week, as we have stood on the floor and begged our colleagues to come to their senses, Senate Republicans have described exactly what this will mean.

“For America’s men and women in uniform, shutting down the government means delayed pay. For the many thousands of civilian employees who support their missions, it means furloughs. And for the families of fallen heroes, it may well mean a freeze on survivor death benefits. For veterans who rely on our promise of care, shutting down the government means threatening their access to treatment.

“For so many Americans struggling with opioid addiction, the same is true. And thanks to the Democratic Leader’s decision to filibuster an extension of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, low-income families will slip closer to losing health coverage for their kids. And in many states this is an emergency.

“I’m having trouble understanding which one of those outcomes my Democratic colleagues could possibly be proud of. Which one of them? I think our friends on the other side took some really bad advice. I’d hate to have to try and explain this myself. They ignored the Governors, including seven Democrats, who wrote Congress, begging us to extend S-CHIP for nine million children. And they ignored the needs of millions of Americans who rely on the federal government for important services.

“They held all this hostage over the completely unrelated issue of illegal immigration. Republicans in the Senate have done all we can to continue the normal operations of the federal government and secure certainty for S-CHIP kids. We could pass it tonight, it could go to the president for signature, and these kids would be okay.

“We will continue to do all we can. We will vote again. So the American people know who stands for them.

“And when our friends across the aisle remember who it is they actually represent, we will be ready to come together in the bipartisan discussion that will be necessary to clean up all of this mess. We’ve all been having private conversations here on the floor. Almost everyone on both sides doesn’t understand how we ended up here. Because most of this stuff we agree on. There’s only one reason we ended up here: the shoehorning of illegal immigration into this debate.

“Now having said that, there is a lot of sympathy in this body for doing something about the DACA kids. It’s not like nobody is interested in that – we’ve been talking about it for three months. But the one reason we are where we are, is because we couldn’t close out any of these other component parts. Because our friends on the other side said we’ve got to deal with this issue. This issue is the key to getting defense spending. This issue is the key to getting help for S-CHIP kids. And on, and on, and on.

“I think most of the American people believe that shutting down the government for this issue – that doesn’t even ripen until March – is irresponsible. I’ve just listed all of the people who are going to be adversely impacted by this action. So we’re going to keep on voting. The government may be heading into shutdown, but the Senate is not shutting down. We’re hoping to talk and resolve this. I don’t think it makes this institution look very responsible. The American people should expect better from us than this.”

Senator Robert Menendez (D - NJ)

“This is government on life support – lurching from one short-term continuation of money to another… four Republican Senators voted [with Democrats] not to continue these short-term funding resolutions because they understand that we need to get the hard work of the nation done. Yes, four Republican Senators joined with Democrats to say ‘enough is enough.’ That’s a bipartisan view that ‘enough is enough.’”

Afterwards, Menendez tweeted a short video explanation saying, “How did we get here? Dems offered many compromises to FULLY fund the govt but Republicans rejected them each time. At the end, they chose to give the President what he asked for: “a good shutdown”. GOP must stop this foolishness & agree to end the #TrumpShutdown”

Senator Jeff Merkley (D - OR)

“President Trump and most Congressional Republicans are choosing to shut down the government rather than agree to a bipartisan deal. President Trump has been rooting for a shutdown and now he’s got it. This Trump shutdown isn’t a reality TV show - it’s going to have actual consequences for the economy and America’s families, small businesses, military, and kids will pay the price. It’s time for the Republican Congress and the president to do their jobs and take the bipartisan deal in front of them.”

Senator Lisa Murkowski (R - AK)

“Shutting down the government is no way to govern. It is disruptive, harmful, wasteful, and impacts the thousands of Alaskans who are federal employees, contractors and all who rely on the services provided by our federal agencies,” said Senator Murkowski. “I will continue working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle and in the House to get the government back open as fast as possible.”

Senator Christopher Murphy (D - CT)

"Republicans asked to be given control of the White House, the Senate, and the House of Representatives. They got it, and this is what America gets – total, complete dysfunction. The continuing resolution President Trump is trying to force down our throats is terrible for Connecticut – it guts funding for community health centers, inadequately funds our state's military contractors, and may lead to the deportation of thousands of immigrant kids. Instead of punting and passing a fourth continuing resolution, President Trump and Republicans could choose to sit down and write a real budget with Democrats this weekend, but they are refusing. That's really sad.

“I will be here all weekend, ready to work on a budget deal that is good for Connecticut and the country. I'm not going anywhere, and I'm hopeful enough Republican senators are willing to break with President Trump to work with us to get a deal done."

Senator Patty Murray (D - WA)

“Once again, Republican leaders have pushed us into a completely unnecessary government shutdown. Democrats have made clear, again and again, for months and months, that we want to work with the Republican majority on a bipartisan deal to address the many challenges facing the families we represent. But instead of working with us to get a result, President Trump and Republican leaders who control the House and Senate were more focused on pointing fingers and playing political games. This is no way to run the government and no way to treat families looking to Congress for solutions, not dysfunction and uncertainty.

“Now that Republicans have shut down the government, I am going to be doing everything I can to persuade the Republican majority to reopen the government and get to work with Democrats to increase investments in defense and domestic priorities, pass a long-term extension of the Children’s Health Insurance Program and critical primary care programs, and finally pass legislation to protect our DREAMers who have known no home but America and who now have to live in fear for their futures. There are bipartisan solutions to all of these challenges, and there is no reason for Republican leaders to stay in their partisan corner and refuse to get them done.

“This Republican shutdown will significantly impact families and communities in Washington state and across the country if it is not ended quickly and responsibly. I am ready to get to work with Republicans to fix the problems they have created, and I can only hope that they decide to put the people and families we represent above partisanship and politics.”

Senator David Perdue (R-GA)

“This Schumer Shutdown is absolutely ridiculous. It is totally irresponsible for the Democrats to use government funding as a bargaining chip. Democrats have created a false deadline by trying to tie illegal immigration to government funding. As I’ve consistently said, these are two totally different issues and should be dealt with separately. Ever since I was sworn into the United States Senate, I have been talking about the total collapse of the budgeting process. Only four times in the past 43 years has this budget process actually funded the federal government. These repeated failures have manifested into a pattern of short-term funding patches, continuing resolutions, that hamstring our military. This short-term mentality in Washington has got to stop. When Congress fails to complete its budget, the best outcome is that six or eight people determine how to spend a trillion dollars of discretionary spending. Clearly, Congress’ funding mechanism does not work and will never work. We are doomed to this cycle of fiscal irresponsibility until Congress reworks this budget process to successfully meet its Constitutional responsibility of funding the federal government.”

Senator Jack Reed (D - RI)

“Nine months ago President Trump said “our country needs a good shutdown.” Now Republicans are basically giving him what he wants, and wasting taxpayer dollars and creating uncertainty in the process.

“Americans deserve a fully functioning government.

“For months, President Trump and Congressional Republicans have prioritized corporate tax cuts over passing a budget that helps working families. Congress repeatedly passed short-term spending bills over the last several months in order to provide additional time to negotiate a long-term, bipartisan budget agreement. However, no real talks ever occurred and the President has provided contradictory and changing objectives.

“Now here we are, already four months through the fiscal year and Republicans are insisting on yet another one month stopgap.

“Enough is enough.

“Our military leaders have warned that this is a wasteful approach that constrains their ability to make long-term strategic decisions. And it doesn’t begin to address other needed priorities.

“For too long, the American people have waited for Congress to do the right thing and reach an agreement on budget caps, healthcare, immigration, and a host of issues. We need a long-term reauthorization of the Children’s Health Insurance Program and funding for our community health centers, resources to combat the national opioid epidemic, and emergency disaster relief to help storm-stricken communities recover. But for months, Republican ignored the needs of working men and women. They prioritized corporate tax giveaways over passing a budget that helps our veterans, protects workers’ hard-earned retirement security, supports a strong national defense, and provides a pathway to citizenship for kids who were brought to this country by their parents and are contributing to their communities and serving in our military.

“The American people overwhelmingly support these priorities, and I think most Republicans do too. All we need now is a real deadline so a bipartisan agreement can be reached. I’m ready to work, and I hope the President and Congressional leaders join that effort.

“I'm ready to do my part to help end this impasse and reach a principled solution. I urge the President and my Republican colleagues to do the same.”

Senator Pat Roberts (R - KS)

“Kansans are sick and tired of the political games in Washington,” Roberts said. “They are not interested in leverage or brinksmanship. They want certainty. They expect us to fulfill our Constitutional duty to fund the government.

“Just three months ago, I joined my colleagues on the Finance Committee in passing bipartisan legislation to extend the Children’s Health Insurance Program for five years. Now we have the option of delivering six years, the longest extension in the history of the program. Unfortunately, that bipartisan support for this critical program has disappeared.

“While the minority is intent on the headlines from a shutdown, I will be working with my colleagues on a solution.”

Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD)

“For the 19th time in the 44 years since the modern budget process has been in place, the federal government has once again shut down because Congress could not get its work done on time. South Dakotans sent me to Washington to make informed policy decisions and be a responsible steward of taxpayer dollars. Continuing resolutions, which are just extensions of last year’s budget levels, fail to provide long-term certainty and stability, while government shutdowns waste taxpayer dollars. Reform of the budget process is absolutely necessary, however our immediate responsibility is to deal with the current government funding crisis. I will work with my colleagues to end this unnecessary shutdown as soon as possible.

I have encouraged the bipartisan immigration reform efforts because the H2B visa program is important to many South Dakota businesses, and our economy in general. I support strengthening our border security as a priority. Progress is being made on this effort and we believe an agreement can be reached within a February timeframe. Unfortunately, while our Democrat colleagues have filibustered the continuing resolution, which includes Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) funding, and bear responsibility for the current government shutdown, I believe there are a number of them who are very serious about finding a solution. This is important to South Dakotans because there are over 16,000 kids eligible for the Children’s Health Insurance Program in our state. This program is currently in jeopardy.

I’ve been a vocal critic of the continuing resolution process, particularly regarding its effect on our military, but I agreed to vote for it this time because I have received assurances that a vote on defense appropriations will occur in the Senate. I’ll continue to push for improvements to our budget process – but this is not a balanced way to govern.”

Senator Brian Schatz - (D - HI)

“Nobody wins in a shutdown. It’s time for us to do the hard work of negotiating and compromise to keep critical government services going. I will continue to work for as long as it takes to solve this terrible problem.”

Senator, Richard C.Shelby (R - AL)

“It is unacceptable that Democrats would vote against a measure to keep our government open to do the work of the American people. I do not believe that shutting down the government is a solution to the problems we face as a country. A shutdown is destructive to the American taxpayer, no matter the circumstances.

“Republicans are working hard to keep the government running, and we also want to approve a long-term reauthorization of CHIP, which provides millions of children with needed health insurance coverage. While a long-term funding measure is preferred, this CR would allow Congress the ability to continue ongoing and proactive negotiations in an effort to approve a bipartisan, bicameral funding bill.

“Democrats have chosen partisan politics over funding our government, funding our troops, and providing health insurance to low-income children and pregnant women. The American people deserve better.”

Senator Dan Sullivan (R - Ak)

“Tonight, we saw a manufactured crisis officially turn into a government shutdown – something that was absolutely preventable. The bipartisan bill we considered tonight, which funded the government until February 16th, was voted down not for the items it contained, but for what was not included – a long term agreement on immigration for which we still have weeks to resolve. I simply fail to understand the logic behind the Minority Leader’s decision to shut down the government. Passage of the Continuing Resolution (CR) tonight would have continued the essential functions of government, provided critical funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for thousands of Alaskan children for six years, and given Congress an opportunity to address a long term spending measure.

“As work continues, I am hopeful that we can find a solution to reopen the government. The American people, particularly our veterans and troops, deserve better. Please know, my office stands ready to assist Alaskans, including those negatively impacted by this unnecessary government shutdown.”

Senator John Thune (R - SD)

“Democrats continue with their obstruct-at-all-costs approach by threatening a government shutdown over illegal immigration. The continuing resolution includes provisions that should be supported by members of both sides of the aisle — including funding for our troops and a six-year extension of the bipartisan Children’s Health Insurance Program. By forcing a government shutdown, Democrats are preventing our troops from receiving the resources they need to help keep our nation safe, and they are jeopardizing the future of an important program that provides health coverage to children in need. Democrats should end these partisan, political games and join us in funding the government.”

Senator Tom Udall (D - NM)

“Every day, over 45,000 New Mexicans work hard at our national labs, military bases, national parks and other federal installations and related contractors. They need — and deserve — thoughtful long-term budgets that will enable them to plan ahead and do the important work of keeping our nation safe, managing our land and water, and meeting the needs of our citizens. The Republicans control the House, the Senate and the White House, but they have failed to pass the kind of long-term budgets that the members of the military say they desperately need. The Republicans’ four-week continuing resolution would have punted those decisions for the fourth time since the start of the fiscal year, with no end in sight. It also failed to offer a real solution to desperate needs, including protection for 800,000 DREAMers; certainty for millions of families who depend on community health centers; the Special Diabetes Program for Indians; and disaster assistance for Puerto Rico, Texas and other states still reeling from last year’s hurricanes and wildfires.

“We must do better than this, and that is why I voted no tonight. But let’s be clear: the only person who has said he wanted to shut down the government was President Trump. Democrats are ready and willing to come to the table to work with Republicans on a responsible long-term budget agreement. And Democrats already have been hard at work, with a growing number of Republican senators, on an agreement for DREAMers that also met all of the president’s demands. It’s unfortunate that President Trump so far has been unable to take yes for an answer and has preferred to pander to extreme right-wing factions in his own party.

“Responsibility for this government shutdown is on the shoulders of Republicans and President Trump — New Mexicans and the American people need them to show some leadership, come to the table and negotiate in good faith.”

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D - RI)

“I joined Senate Democrats and Republicans in voting against this stopgap funding bill because it did not provide the long-term stability our military and economy need and it did not address urgent, overdue bipartisan needs. Those include immediate resources to fight the opioid epidemic in Rhode Island and across the country, badly-needed relief for communities that remain ravaged by natural disasters and wildfires, reliable defense funding, and a path for Dreamers to stay in the only home they have ever known. These are all bipartisan priorities, but the Republicans refuse to work with us to get them done.

“And after months of refusing Democrats’ demands to fund a health insurance program that covers millions of children from low-income families, it is disappointing that President Trump and Republican leadership in Congress used children whose health care is now on the brink of running out as a bargaining chip to force the federal government to a halt. This is no way to govern.

“I will be working around the clock until we have hammered out a bipartisan path forward that reopens the federal government as quickly as possible with minimal disruption to Rhode Islanders.

Senator Todd Young (R - IN)

“When given the opportunity to extend the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for more than 104,000 Hoosier children, provide for our servicemembers, lift the burden of the job-killing medical device tax, and keep government functions operating, some of my colleagues took a pass. For reasons I can’t understand, they voted to shut down the government even though they support the bill. I will continue working through the weekend to ensure that a solution is reached for the good of Hoosiers and all Americans. I will also be donating my salary to the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation until the government reopens."

Comments on Reopening the Government -- Temporarily -- From the Senate

The Senate passed funding bill extends federal funding through February 8, 2018.

Senator Richard Blumenthal (D - CT)
With Senator Christopher Murphy (D - CT)

“This stop-gap three-week patch shortchanges Connecticut’s needs and priorities. Kicking the can down the road – for the fourth time in as many months – hurts Connecticut in unique ways. A commitment to have an immigration debate next month is welcome, but we could not in good conscience support a bill that fails to adequately support our national defense, opioid treatment, disaster relief, or community health centers while leaving Dreamers without any certainty about their future. We will continue to fight for Connecticut’s priorities as negotiations continue during this short-term stopgap spending measure, including real investments in our national security, adequate resources to fight the opioid crisis, support for community health centers, full funding for disaster relief and a solution that protects our Dreamers.”

Senator Cory A. Booker (D-NJ)

President Trump manufactured a crisis when he ended DACA, throwing the lives of hundreds of thousands of dreamers into chaos and uncertainty. In addition, 113 days have passed since the Children’s Health Insurance Program lapsed, and Senate Republicans have been using uninsured low-income kids as political pawns. President Trump and Republicans, who control the White House, the Senate, and the House, have a duty to govern responsibly.

Pitting the most vulnerable in our country against one another is no way to govern. Neither is passing another short-term funding bill, a practice the Pentagon called “wasteful and destructive” just days ago.

The way to end the Trump Shutdown and solve issues that Republican leaders have been ignoring for months was to take up a bipartisan proposal on the table that Democrats, Republicans, most Americans, and the large majority of Congress supports. That wasn’t the plan voted on today.

I made a commitment a long time ago that I wouldn’t vote for yet another CR that didn’t include a solution for dreamers. My position hasn’t changed.

Senator Sherrod Brown (D - OH)

“We cannot continue limping along from one budget to the next – that’s no way to run our government. Over the weekend I talked to Republicans and Democrats, and I’m confident we are very close to reaching a long-term compromise to provide the certainty Ohio families deserve. That’s why I’m voting today to reopen the government. I applaud the six-year extension of CHIP, and now we must move forward on achieving bipartisan solutions to important issues like protecting the retirement workers have earned, combating the opioid epidemic and protecting undocumented children who’ve known no other home than America.

“In my conversations over the weekend, it was clear that Senators on both sides of the aisle want to work together to end the constant uncertainty coming from Washington, and I'm hopeful this will be the beginning of more cooperation and bipartisanship in the months ahead.”

Brown will donate the pay he received during the government shutdown to an Ohio diaper bank that will support struggling families.

Sendator Benjamin L.Cardin - (D - MD)

“Four months into the fiscal year, Republicans, who control the White House and both houses of Congress, finally understand that we cannot govern from continuing resolution to continuing resolution. It took extreme measures to get us to this point. Leader McConnell will be held to his word that we will have a spending bill that addresses both defense and non-defense priorities, along with a fair opportunity to pass immigration reform.

“Democrats never wanted to see the federal government shut down, even for a few days, but we needed to take a stand to keep this budget can from being kicked down the road again and again and again. For Marylanders who work for or support the federal government, including our military personnel, the frustration and hurt of a shutdown has hit especially hard. There is no such thing as a ‘good shutdown,’ as the president characterized it. I’m proud of the military and civilian workers in Maryland who support our federal government, and will do all I can to ensure they are made whole after this experience. These public servants represent the best of America and they deserve our respect and gratitude.”

Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA)

“The shutdown never made sense. I’m glad after two days enough Senate Democrats agreed to end it. I think they realized taking health insurance away from nine million kids nationwide—122,000 of whom live in Louisiana—depriving the military of their funding, just because they weren’t getting their way on DACA, was not defensible. The bill we passed today reopens the government through February the 8th, it maintains the National Flood Insurance Program, it funds the Children’s Health Insurance Program for six years. So, now we focus on passing a long term budget, securing our border. If Democrats are willing to support a more merit-based immigration system and real, permanent border security, I think we can come to an agreement that’s good for the DACA kids and good for the American people.”

Senator Susan M. Collins - (R - ME)

“Today, we saw the power of the center in the U.S. Senate. Joe and I worked very hard in leading the effort of the Common Sense Coalition—a group of 25 Republicans, Democrats, and Independent Angus King—which proposed the compromise to end the government shutdown.

“I founded the Common Sense Coalition nearly five years ago to end the 2013 government shutdown. Just as we did in 2013, we showed that a determined group of Senators working across the aisle can produce positive action.

“Senators representing both parties first began meeting for hours in my office on Friday, and we continued to discuss these issues in meetings on Saturday, Sunday, and today, supplemented by numerous phone calls. What we shared in common was the determination to reopen government and convince our leaders that there is a path forward that will accommodate those of us who are concerned about the fate of the “Dreamers” who live in this country, many of whom have known no other country as their home. They will be at risk of deportation starting in March if legislation is not passed. Our commitment to accomplishing these goals, as well as the size and bipartisan nature of our group, helped to break the impasse.

“In addition to reopening government, I am particularly happy that the continuing resolution reauthorizes the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which provides health care coverage to low-income children nationwide. I co-sponsored the legislation that created this program as a freshman Senator in 1997. The provision included in the stop-gap funding bill will extend CHIP for an additional six years, ensuring that the nine million children—including more than 22,000 in Maine—who rely on this program will continue to have access to health care.

“There are many other issues that we need to deal with, including budget caps and the urgent need for additional funding for national defense and the opioid crisis. The successful bipartisan effort that led to the reopening of the government today, however, is a significant and promising step forward.”

Senator John Cornyn- (R - TX)

“This was a strategy that lacked an endgame and was never going to work. The safety, health, and livelihoods of Americans across the country didn't deserve to be held hostage, and the American people have had enough of these kinds of games.”

“This calculated stunt that put funding for our government, military, and Children's Health Insurance Program at risk all because our colleagues wanted to accelerate consideration of the DACA issue, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, was a mistake.”

“I'm glad our colleagues decided to take this step to reopen the government while we resume our work to find a solution on this immigration issue. But we have a lot of other important issues.”

“We also need to deal with disaster relief.”

“While the House of Representatives has voted on a $81 billion disaster relief package, because of the holdup here -- again, because our Democratic colleagues in the Senate think that this DACA issue is more important than those victims of natural disasters, not to mention the wildfires out West -- that's been put on ice as well.”

“I especially remain committed to the 124,000 DACA recipients in my home state of Texas.”

“I have a personal interest in making sure we come up with a bipartisan solution for these young adults who face such uncertainty.”

“These are our neighbors, and they work alongside us in our community. They deserve a thoughtful and compassionate solution that I hope we deliver.”

“I've had a chance, like all of the members of the Senate and the House, to meet many of these young people and many of them are extraordinarily impressive.”

“So it’s a precarious position, I'm sure, to live every day not quite sure of what the future will mean.”

“I think we need to correspondingly assure the American people that we're actually serious about border security and enforcing our laws.”

“Being able to put in place the right mix of infrastructure, personnel, and technology will enable us to begin to regain the public's confidence on this issue.”

“We are all working, and have been for months, on a path forward on DACA, and we'll continue to do so now that the government has reopened.”

Senator Dianne Feinstein - (D - CA)

“This week’s government shutdown is regrettable and frustrating, particularly since it was entirely avoidable.

“For four months Republicans have promised a vote on the Dream Act. And for four months, they’ve kicked the can down the road. They even spent weeks passing a tax cut bill for the rich instead of working on a bill to keep the government open and help DACA recipients.

“Even Republican members of Congress are fed up. Senator Jeff Flake, a Republican, was promised a DACA fix by the end of last year, but he’s still waiting. That’s why both Republicans and Democrats said no to Mitch McConnell’s latest broken promise.

“Closing the government isn’t something I take lightly. But we’ve been debating the Dream Act for almost 20 years now, with constant opposition from Republicans. The solution is simple: allow a vote on the Dream Act as an amendment to a must-pass vehicle or lock in an iron-clad agreement that the Democratic caucus agrees with that would pass in the shortest time possible. Debating and voting on bills is what we were sent here to do, so let’s do it.

“Once we reach an agreement on the Dream Act, we can then turn to other priorities like providing disaster relief for wildfires and hurricanes, extending the Children’s Health Insurance Program, keeping community health centers open and battling the opioid crisis.

“Let me be clear: this government closure doesn’t shut down the military. It doesn’t end Social Security or Medicare benefits. VA hospitals will remain open. But the pinch for many other federal workers is real, and we need to get past this impasse as quickly as possible.

“I’ll continue working hard to come up with a solution that funds the government, protects DACA recipients and includes all the other key priorities that we need to support.”

Senator Lindsey Graham (R - SC)

“Ending the government shutdown stops the losing for the country. But it’s not winning. Winning is solving the nation’s problems.

“Winning is ensuring we have the funding needed for our military to meet the tremendous challenges they face. Nothing means more to me than making sure we take care of our military’s needs as they fight a war we can’t afford to lose. Today, we took a giant step forward in that direction.

“Winning is ensuring we have a process in place to deal with expiration of DACA, as these young people know no other home than the United States.

“I believe the process we have created will allow us to get a result on these and other important issues. I enjoyed working with my colleagues – on both sides of the aisle – as we searched for breakthroughs that would not only keep the government running, but ultimately make it work for the American people.”

Senator Chuck Grassley (R - IA)

“It’s a shame it took three days and millions in wasted taxpayer dollars for common sense to prevail, but I’m glad it did. America’s men and women in uniform give so much in service to their country. They should never have to worry about their next paycheck. If it wasn’t political, it’s unclear why Democratic leaders voted against funding the government on Friday but voted for it on Monday. Thankfully, millions of families with kids who rely on the Children’s Health Insurance Program now know it will be extended for six years.

“There was no good reason to shut down the government for an unrelated issue everyone agrees will be addressed soon anyway. As was the case before the shutdown, I’ll continue to work with my colleagues on legislation to enact real border security, end chain migration and the diversity visa lottery program and provide DACA recipients with legal status.”

Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH)
With Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D - NH)

“We have worked with a group of more than twenty senators – both Republicans and Democrats – to reach a bipartisan agreement to reopen the government, continue the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and move forward on critical priorities including strengthening our military, stepping up efforts to combat the opioid crisis, providing funding for community health centers, and protecting Dreamers. Our negotiations, once again, affirmed that there is substantial common ground on every one of these issues, and while we still have more work to do, this agreement gives us time to hammer out the details. We are grateful to our Republican colleague Susan Collins of Maine for convening these bipartisan talks, and to all the members of this common sense caucus for working with us to find common ground.”

Senator Heidi Heitkamp (D - ND)

“The single most important thing the Senate can do is govern, and today, we reached an agreement to help make that possible,” said Heitkamp. “I’m proud to have been part of a bipartisan group of more than 20 senators who worked together during many meetings over the weekend to reach a deal to reopen the government. I wish everyone in the country could have been in those meetings. We talked to each other respectfully, had important debate and discussion, and were the deliberative body that the Senate is supposed to be.

“Our group first came together back in 2013 -- when the government shutdown for 16 days -- and created the Commonsense Coalition which negotiated a deal that paved the way to successfully reopen the government. Today, many of those same senators joined our meetings, as did many more. I’m hopeful this bipartisan progress foreshadows more work to come between Republicans and Democrats so the Senate can do its job for the American people.

“The Senate also voted to reauthorize the Children’s Health Insurance Program for six years – an overdue long-term extension so that children and families across North Dakota can get the care they need. We need to keep pushing to permanently reauthorize this critical and lifesaving program that protects kids.

“As Congress works on a bipartisan agreement in the next few weeks, I’ll keep pushing to protect the pensions of thousands of retirees in the Central States Pension Fund and other pension funds, provide critical funds to help combat the opioid epidemic, and support community health centers across rural America. And we must hold Leader McConnell to his word that the Senate will vote in the next few weeks to strengthen border security while enabling young immigrants who came here as children to stay in the only country they know. We have the chance to reach an agreement on these issues that is truly bipartisan.”

Senator Dean Heller (R - NV)

“It’s about time that Democrats came to their senses and made the decision to end their political games that led to the Schumer Shutdown. Their filibuster of legislation that would open the government, pay our troops, and fund the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) was reckless and an example of Washington dysfunction at its worst. Because of their political posturing, Democrats sacrificed our national security, paying our troops, and care for this country’s most vulnerable children. It was particularly disappointing that for days, Senate Democrats blocked a vote on a piece of legislation that not only would have avoided a government shutdown and pay our troops, but contained many priorities – like CHIP and delaying the Cadillac tax – that they actually support. In fact, the legislation passed today is the same bill that was initially proposed last week with the exception of moving up the next deadline by eight days.

The Democrats’ filibuster of our appropriations bills is exactly what led us to the position we’re in today; and that’s why I introduced my No Budget No Pay Act to force Congress to do its job or face the consequences. Moving forward, I hope my colleagues on the other side of the aisle prioritize their constituents over their party leaders so that we can make progress and do the jobs the American people sent us here to do."

Senator Johnny Isakson (R - GA)

“I am relieved that Senate Democrats have allowed us to reopen the government. Shutting down the government was a terrible idea – it always is – and it is the wrong way to govern. I’m also pleased that we have finally passed a six-year extension of the Children’s Health Insurance Program. Thankfully, we can now focus on the work that lies ahead.”

Senator Tim Kaine (D - VA)
With Senator Mark R.Warner (D - VA)

“We voted against the House Republican Continuing Resolution on Friday night because it left unaddressed too many priorities important to Virginians. We remain deeply disappointed that our Republican colleagues refused to keep the government open this weekend while we finalized a long-term deal on these issues. President Trump and Republican leadership have hurt Virginia and our military by governing from crisis-to-crisis and being unwilling to compromise.

“However, we are heartened by our work with more than 20 Senators from both sides of the aisle this weekend to create a bipartisan path forward to give Virginians long-term certainty and protect Dreamers.

“As a result of those discussions, we now have a path forward to resolve many of the challenges that Congress has punted on for months, including a long-term solution to sequestration and full-year funding for our government and the military. Today we are reauthorizing the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) that tens of thousands of Virginians rely on – after months of Republican obstruction – and giving servicemembers and federal employees peace of mind that their paychecks will arrive on time. We also have the opportunity to finally make investments here at home to fight the opioid crisis, provide relief for communities hit by natural disasters, allow those who rely on community health centers to get care, reform pensions, and much more.

“For more than three years, the Republican majority has blocked any viable effort to fix our broken immigration system. As recently as Friday night, Leader McConnell refused to commit to taking up the DREAM Act with any urgency. Today, Republican leadership has finally agreed to bring bipartisan legislation to protect Dreamers to the floor in the next three weeks, and both parties – as well as the American public – will hold them to it.”

Senator Angus S. King Jr. (I - ME)

“After a weekend spent trying to bring together Senators from across the political spectrum and to create a meaningful dialogue, we have arrived at a viable compromise that can move us forward. A three-week continuing resolution is longer than I’d like, but it appears this weekend’s negotiations have created a path forward which will allow the Senate to function as it should. As I have said, and continue to believe, this government cannot simply function one month at a time – we need to pass a budget. At the same time, we need to stay open. I hope that Senate leadership has gotten the message that we can no longer govern from CR to CR, and that this agreement ends the logjam on DACA and paves the path towards regular order.”

Senator James Lankford (R-OK)

“I’m pleased that Senate Democrats relented and finally agreed to reopen the government. Today, they voted for the exact offer we extended on Friday night before the shutdown. This all could have been avoided. Now is the time for this Senate to take up hard issues and begin debating and voting again. This is a unique opportunity to finally address some of our numerous immigration problems, including border security. I look forward to getting this important work done in the days ahead.”

Senator Patrick J. Leahy (D - VT)

“I’m relieved there is an end in sight to this Trump Shutdown. But Republican leaders and President Trump have left too much undone – from a bipartisan budget deal, to disaster relief, to community health centers, to the opioid crisis, to DACA. There are many pressing and unfinished priorities, and I cannot give my support to yet another short-term, stopgap measure that, yet again, keeps budget priorities on autopilot, without the ability to adjust for changing priorities since these budget levels were frozen a year ago. We now are 114 days since the beginning of the fiscal year, when these appropriations bills should have been finished. The American people, our communities, our men and women serving in the military, our veterans, and all Americans need and deserve a long-term deal, and we need one now.”

Senator, Joe Manchin, III (D - WV)

“I worked all weekend and brought together more than 20 Republicans and Democrats to help both sides come to an agreement to end this government shutdown. While others were focused on placing political blame, I was focused on solving the problem, and I'm glad to say we got it done. I’m proud we were able to come together and pass our bipartisan compromise to reopen the government, pass long-term funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and give us 3 weeks to come up with a FY2018 budget that everyone can support.

“Now that the government will reopen, we have the next 3 weeks to ensure our military is equipped to protect our country, fight the opioid epidemic, keep our promise to coal miners so they don’t lose their hard-earned pensions, expand broadband access and pass a comprehensive infrastructure package.

“I never voted for or supported this shutdown. This was a result of the toxic dysfunction that this Congress is operating under. It was wrong to shut down the government and it was a waste of time that prevented us from working on issues that the American people and West Virginians care about. Now, we can get back to work.”

Senator Edward J.Markey (D - MA)

“I cannot support a budget deal that falls so far short of fulfilling our moral and Constitutional obligation to the American people, said Senator Markey. “Without guaranteed long-term funding for community health centers, the opioid crisis, disaster aid, and protections for our DREAMers, I cannot support this legislation.

“I remain deeply skeptical of any short-term budget agreement that relies on the good faith commitment of President Donald Trump. A budgetary vision without funding is a hallucination. The futures and families of DREAMers will not be assured by a promise from Republican leadership. We need a long-term budget proposal that includes real protections for our DREAMers and appropriately funds critical health priorities, not a short-term IOU.”

Senator Mitch McConnell (R - KY)

“After three days of an unnecessary lapse in funding, a bipartisan majority has brought the Democratic Leader’s extraordinary filibuster to an end and passed a bipartisan bill to reopen the federal government. As I’ve said repeatedly over the past week, shutting down the government is an irresponsible way to do business. It does not reflect the seriousness with which I know my colleagues on both sides would like to approach the people’s business here in the Senate.

“All our important work for the American people had to be put on hold while this manufactured crisis was dealt with. We made no substantive progress – not one inch – on the serious, bipartisan negotiations that it will take to resolve issues such as immigration and border security, health care, defense spending, and many other matters. So I am glad we can finally get back to work here.

“Amid the political gamesmanship, the past three days have highlighted many of my colleagues’ commitment to honest, bipartisan work. I would like to particularly thank Senator Graham, Senator Collins, Senator Flake, and several of our Democratic colleagues who worked tirelessly to bring this impasse to a conclusion. Soon, federal operations will be getting back to normal for the American people.

“We all know what comes next – challenging negotiations on a host of serious issues. The weeks ahead will require the best from all of us. I hope that we can remember some lessons from this regrettable incident. Brinksmanship and hostage taking do not work. They make bipartisan progress harder, not easier, to achieve. Senators must focus on the common good of the American people, not the warped priorities of extreme voices, no matter how loudly they shout at us to do otherwise.

“With the pointless, damaging, partisan theatrics of this government shutdown behind us, serious and bipartisan negotiations can resume. We have been talking for months about how to address military spending, disaster relief, healthcare, immigration and border security, and the rest of Congress’ unfinished business. Now those talks can get going again. Whether they bear fruit is up to all of us.”

Senator Robert Menendez (D - NJ)

“The Senate-passed Continuing Resolution is yet another short-term sham of a funding bill that abandons vital New Jersey priorities like funding for the opioid crisis, community health centers and critical reforms to the National Flood Insurance Program, all while short-changing our military, and ignoring the plight of millions of Americans in Puerto Rico, California, and other disaster-torn communities.

“Nothing in this legislation gives me any confidence that in three weeks Congress won’t end up exactly where we are today. Funding for the federal government lapsed back in September. The President announced the end of DACA back in September. Yet, instead of doing the hard work of governing, Republicans spent October, November and December asking for short-term extensions so they could binge on trillion-dollar tax cuts for corporations and the wealthiest one percent.

“I would have much preferred a two-day, three-day or even week-long extension that forced Democrats and Republicans to stay in Washington and negotiate a long-term agreement that fully funds our military, invests in our domestic priorities, protects the 800,000 Dreamers from the imminent threat of deportation and provides them a path to citizenship.

“In three weeks, a dysfunctional White House and a dysfunctional Republican Congress will remain utterly incapable of passing a long-term budget unless and until they begin working with Democrats who know how to compromise, how to set priorities, and how to govern.”

Senator Jeff Merkley (D - OR)

“While spending the past year jamming through a legislative wish-list for the privileged and powerful, President Trump and his congressional allies have time and time again neglected the priorities of the American people. Funding for children’s health care and community health centers has lapsed; the opioid crisis has gone unaddressed; and hundreds of thousands of DREAMers have been left to live in limbo. This unwillingness to govern reached a peak on Friday, when Trump and Republicans brought us the Trump Shutdown rather than reach a deal on these critical, bipartisan priorities.

“I persistently argued that we should keep the government open while we negotiate, but that we need a shorter timeframe – one- to three-day increments – to hold Trump’s and McConnell’s feet to the fire. Unfortunately, the Senate Majority Leader struck down the continuing resolutions that would have accomplished this.

“My concern with the three-week extension adopted today is that the Republican leadership will fail to negotiate for 15 of the next 17 days. Furthermore, Leader McConnell’s track record of keeping his ‘commitments’ is thin at best. For that reason, I voted no today.

“I stand ready to work with all of my colleagues to make urgently-needed progress on these critical issues facing the American people. It’s past time that we governed ‘of, by and for the people,’ not just for the privileged and powerful.”

Senator Lisa Murkowski (R - AK)

“I have been actively working over the weekend, with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, to help facilitate an agreement. I am pleased that we were able to put our differences aside to get the government back on track and do what’s right for our country. Together, we ended a government shutdown that has been disruptive to the thousands of Alaskans who are federal employees, contractors, and those who rely on the services provided by our federal agencies. This short-term solution allows time to finish our work on a full year funding bill and also address bigger picture issues.

“We have a lot of work ahead of us --- from securing full funding for our military to providing disaster relief to stabilizing the individual healthcare market. It is also crucial that we prioritize protections for DACA recipients and have the broader discussion on immigration. Now is the time to build on the bipartisan momentum we have built in the Senate, work together and resolve these issues for the American people.”

Senator Patty Murray (D - WA)

“I am very glad that President Trump and Republican leaders have stepped back from the precipice and have ended their government shutdown and committed to allowing Democrats and Republicans to work together on legislation to address the many challenges facing the families we represent. I know that there will be legitimate concerns and questions about the commitments that Republican leaders have made today. I share those concerns, and I am going to be watching Republican leaders’ actions over the coming weeks, not just their words—and I stand ready to hold this Republican Congress accountable for results.

I support this short-term agreement not because I blindly trust Republican leaders to deliver on their commitments, but because I believe this path offers us the best chance to reach a comprehensive deal to protect families and communities in this Republican Congress. Republican leaders clearly understand that a majority of Democrats and Republicans support bipartisan solutions to the challenges in front of us, and they now realize that they can’t keep the government shut down in an attempt to stop that work from being done. If Republican leaders renege on their commitment to work with us and to allow votes on the critical issues before us, they will shut down the government in just a few weeks and the pressure will be right back on them to work with us.

“Democrats and Republicans agree that we should increase investments in health care, education, veterans’ care, and other domestic and defense priorities—and now that Republicans have ended their shutdown, we need to work together to get that done.

“Democrats and Republicans agree that we should finally pass a long-term extension of the critical primary care programs that Republicans have allowed to expire months ago— and now that Republicans have ended their shutdown, we need to work together to get that done.

“Democrats and Republicans agree that since the Trump Administration abruptly ended the DACA program last fall, we should finally pass legislation to protect our DREAMers who have known no home but America and who live in constant fear for their futures— and now that Republicans have ended their shutdown, we need to work together to get that done. Republican leaders have made a commitment on this, and I am going to be holding their feet to the fire.

“There are bipartisan solutions to all of these challenges, and now that Republicans have stepped back from their completely unnecessary government shutdown and say they are ready to work with us on responsible solutions—we need to tackle them together, right now, without delay.”

Senator David Perdue (R-GA)

“It is ridiculous that we were ever in the Schumer Shutdown in the first place. I’m glad to see that Senate Democrats came to their senses and stopped this nonsense. It is frustrating that this is the same proposal that was offered to them days ago before they decided to shut down the government over immigration. Senate Democrats took their political stunt a step too far since a majority of Americans support funding the federal government over continuing the DACA program. Clearly, Congress’ budget process is a complete failure. It has only worked four times in the past 43 years, and given the current political dynamics it will never work. Tying important policy decisions to the funding process is the reason we end up in these damaging situations. It’s time Congress gets serious about reworking the way we fund the federal government. That way we can start tackling other big ticket items such as fixing our immigration system and beginning to rebuild our nation’s infrastructure.”

Senator Rob Portman (R - OH)

“I’m pleased that a sufficient number of my Democratic colleagues have joined Republicans to re-open the federal government. Shutdowns are unnecessary, counter-productive, and often end up costing more taxpayer dollars. The past three days are proof of that, and that’s why I introduced the End Government Shutdowns Act in 2012 to avoid these types of disruptions.

“One of the things the bill does is provide long-term funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). There are 219,000 children in Ohio and nine million children nationwide who receive health care through this program. This six-year CHIP extension is the longest since the program was enacted more than 20 years ago. I’ve fought to renew this important program for months, and I’m pleased we are on the verge of delivering the long-term stability and certainty the program needs.

“I’m glad we were finally able to come to an agreement that funds the government and provides quality health care for American children in need. We have more work ahead of us before the next deadline, on February 8, and I will continue working with my bipartisan colleagues on these issues. Government shutdowns ultimately hurt our economy, hurt families, and hurt our troops. I hope that in the future we can end shutdowns for good.”

Senator Bernard Sanders (I - VT)

"The reason I voted against today’s continuing resolution is simple: tens of millions of lives are at stake. We must act NOW, not kick the can down the road.

"We're talking about the fate of 800,000 Dreamers who have lived here almost all of their lives, but could soon be faced with deportation if we don't act now. We're talking about 27 million Americans who will find it harder and harder to get their health care through community health centers because that program has not yet been reauthorized. We 're talking about many thousands of people with disabilities who will die because they couldn't get their claims processed in a timely manner by an underfunded and understaffed Social Security Administration, and veterans who will not get the care they need at the VA because that agency now has 30,000 vacancies. We're talking about the need to provide adequate disaster relief for the people of Texas, Florida, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico – an island where hundreds of thousands are still without electricity.

"Enough is enough. We cannot continue to run a $4 trillion government on a month to month basis. We need an annual budget. The Republican Party controls the U.S. House, the U.S. Senate and the White House. They are the governing party. They have got to govern, not ignore the major crises facing this country."

Senator Dan Sullivan (R - Ak)

“Today, an overwhelming majority in the Senate voted to end the government shutdown and to continue the broader negotiations on a long-term spending measure. This shutdown was entirely avoidable – something made clearer by the fact that what we passed today was basically the same agreement that had been proposed since Friday. Regardless, I’m pleased to see both sides of the aisle come together to reach an agreement to ensure our military and federal workers continue to get paid, critical functions of government continue, and thousands of children across Alaska and the country get the healthcare they need through the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) – which will be extended for six years.

“As we move forward, I will be closely working with my colleagues on issues related to immigration reform, including DACA and stronger border security. More broadly, I will continue to work with a bipartisan group to reform what for too long has been a broken budgetary process, which has consisted of short-term funding measures (continuing resolutions) and massive end of year omnibus packages. The American people deserve better.”

Senator Patrick J.Toomey (R - PA)

"I am encouraged that an interim, bipartisan agreement was reached to reopen our government, fund our military, and provide health care to nine million American children. We found ourselves in this dysfunctional mess because my colleagues across the aisle recklessly refused to govern and held the government hostage on a single issue impacting a select group of illegal immigrants. This is not how decisions about the government's budget should be made."

"It is well past time for the Senate to return to regular order. Instead of the obstruction of recent years, going forward, Democrats should allow the Senate to debate, amend and pass each of the 12 annual funding bills well before the end of the fiscal year. This would preclude the risk of distracting, disruptive manufactured crises such as the one our Democratic colleagues just caused."

Senator Tom Udall (D - NM)

“Today’s agreement between Senate Democratic and Republican leadership to re-open the government and fund the Children’s Health Insurance Program buys Congress 17 more days to try to reach a bipartisan compromise for DREAMers. While it definitely isn’t a perfect deal, we must work together to make progress. The American people don’t support President Trump’s platform of hate and division – and Democrats will not accept a ‘take it or leave it’ offer on immigration that will further tear this country apart.

“Additionally, while this agreement opens up a path forward for the DREAMers, I am still fighting to ensure we reach a responsible bipartisan budget agreement that funds our military and our domestic priorities for longer than a few weeks. As a Department of Defense spokeswoman stated last week, lurching from one short-term agreement to another is a disaster for the military. The 45,000 federal employees and contractors in New Mexico – who are working hard to keep our nation safe, be good stewards of our public land and water, and meet the needs of our citizens – deserve long-term certainty. Budgeting is Congress’ most basic job, and I will be working as hard as I can to get our government back on track.”

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D - RI)

“The shutdown has ended. In spite of a President sending confused and conflicting messages, Republican and Democratic Senators negotiated in good faith to arrive at an agreement to end the impasse. We will fund the children’s health insurance program and we will vote on a solution for the Dreamers. It will be the first Floor vote for Democrats since the election (outside the sham budget process), and we hope that is a breakthrough. We have accelerated the negotiations on a funding bill, and we still must vote on the debt limit. This is what progress looks like.”

Senator Todd Young (R - IN)

“I’m glad Democratic leadership decided to end this shutdown and vote for a bill that should have passed three days ago. This bill addresses some of the most pressing issues before us today, including extending the Children’s Health Insurance Program for more than 104,000 Hoosier children, funding our military, and lifting the burden of the job-killing medical device tax. Over the coming weeks, I will continue working toward a long-term solution to fund the government and address border security and the DACA immigration issue.”

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