OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Senate Agenda

Floor Speech

Date: Dec. 17, 2018
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: National Security Employment and Affirmative Action Government Budget and Spending

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, on another matter, in recent days I have spoken about the Senate's agenda for the remainder of the 115th Congress. As was the case at this time last week, there are important items that have yet to be addressed, but thanks to the bipartisan progress made last week, we are significantly closer to the finish line.

Together, guided by Chairman Blunt and Senator Klobuchar, the Senate met the need to revise how Congress handles claims of sexual harassment, workplace discrimination, and other workplace violations.

Under the leadership of Chairman Roberts and Senator Stabenow, we cleared the conference report for the 2018 farm bill, sending my industrial hemp legislation and other critical provisions for America's farming communities to the President's desk to become law.

To cap off a year of historic progress on judicial nominations, the Senate voted to confirm the 30th Federal circuit judge of this Congress and this administration.

Now we will turn our attention to the remaining priorities in completing the American people's business. Last week, I announced that at the request of the President and following improvements that were secured by several Members, the Senate will take up criminal justice legislation here on the floor. Later this afternoon, we will vote on advancing that legislation.

I know the proponents of this bill spent a great deal of time and energy drafting their proposal. At the same time, there are a number of Members with outstanding concerns they feel are still unresolved. So if cloture is invoked later today, the Senate will be considering amendments before we vote on final passage later this week.

Of course, the most high-profile items still before us are border security and government funding. We need to make a substantial investment in the integrity of our border and in the safety of American families. We need to close out the year's appropriations process and reach a bipartisan agreement to supply the 25 percent of the Federal Government for which we haven't already passed funding legislation. I hope the same bipartisan, collaborative spirit that has carried us this far will enable the Senate and the House to complete this business without undue delay.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT


Source
arrow_upward