Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill

Floor Speech

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Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee recently said that the energy security and water infrastructure funding legislation before us marks an ``excellent kickoff'' to the appropriations process.

This is the first bill of the ``Appropriations Committee to come to the floor,'' she said, and ``it signals that we are ready to do regular order.'' I share Senator Mikulski's sentiment. It has been good to see colleagues working across the aisle expressing an interest and working cooperatively this appropriations season because we know continued cooperation will be essential to a successful appropriations process.

We have seen plenty of positive signs in the Appropriations Committee already. The committee has already approved one-third of the 12 funding bills on a bipartisan basis. With continued cooperation, we will have an opportunity to pass the first of these bills on the floor this week. The energy security and water infrastructure funding legislation before us is the result of many hours of hard work and research. It will reduce wasteful spending, it will bolster national security, and by advancing priorities like public safety, waterway infrastructure, economic development, and energy innovation it will impact all 50 of our States.

This excellent kickoff to the appropriations season enjoys bipartisan support. It advanced out of committee by a unanimous vote. It represents yet another example of what is possible in a Senate that is back to work. I thank the subcommittee chairman, Senator Alexander, for working with Ranking Member Feinstein to move this important bill out of committee. Let's continue our work today to get one step closer to passage.

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