Continuing Appropriations Act, 2024 and Other Extensions Act

Floor Speech

We have had 15 minutes to review a 71-page document, a document that was filed before midnight last night. There hasn't been any time for staff to review a 71-page document on such an important issue that we are facing.

It demonstrates a lack of responsibility, and a lack of a willingness to have a bipartisan agreement on a continuing resolution. I rise in strong opposition to the bill.

The day before the government shuts down, the majority is still throwing anything that they can at the wall to see if anything sticks.

House Republicans have already proven that they cannot and they will not pass a continuing resolution on their own, even one with outlandish spending cuts that could never pass the Senate or be signed into law.

A bipartisan, bicameral solution is the only way forward. I worked on these efforts last December, and House Republicans at that time decided not to participate with the Senate Republicans. With Senator Shelby and Senator Leahy, we hammered out a budget for 2023.

The Speaker knows the bipartisan Senate continuing resolution would easily garner a majority in this House of Representatives. Yet, he refuses to let it go to the floor of the House.

What is he afraid of? What are we trying instead?

Yesterday, Republicans voted to defund our support for our allies in the Middle East, including a billion-dollar cut to Israel, with a further cut to Jordan. That did not work, so today, the target is Ukraine, despite the fact that it is the majority's will, demonstrated several times this week, to provide support for Ukraine's self-defense.

The Biggs amendment that would strike all Ukraine security assistance initiative funds from the defense bill failed, 104-330.

The Gaetz amendment that would have prohibited all funding for Ukraine in the defense bill failed, 93-339.

A Greene amendment to prohibit assistance to Ukraine in the State and foreign operations bill failed, 90-342.

This body voted to separately fund Ukraine after it was stripped from the defense bill in the darkness of night, and that was 311-117.

Mr. Speaker, the appeasement strategy of the far right does not have majority support in this body. Standing with our allies does have support here, which is tried-and-true American patriotism, American justice, American views, and their values for freedom and the fight for democracy.

That is who we are. That is what we are about. Those who would do otherwise, it is shameful, shameful in bringing down the United States of America and its support for those people who seek freedom in our world today.

Department of Defense officials recently sent letters to the four corners of the Congress. Under Secretary McCord writes: ``Without additional funding now, we would have to delay or curtail assistance to meet Ukraine's urgent requirements, including for air defense and ammunition that are critical and urgent now as Russia prepares to conduct a winter offensive and continues its bombardment of Ukrainian cities.''

Then he continues: ``Delays to additional funding would also be perceived by Ukraine as a sign of wavering U.S. support and likely as a betrayal of our previous commitments. Allies and partners are also unlikely to sustain their increased level of support without clear, continuing U.S. leadership. As you know, Secretary Austin successfully engages over 50 nations every month to press for sustained support. It is crucial that the U.S. continues to lead this global coalition--`` the United States should lead--``and we need the resources to underwrite our leadership role.''

House Republicans have shown that they are unwilling and they are unable to govern. Some have shown they are willing and they are able to abandon our allies.

It is time for this body, for my Republican colleagues, to abandon the Gaetz strategy or the Greene strategy and try, as we have in the past, for a bipartisan strategy that we all know will ultimately conclude the shutdown and fully fund the United States government.

A shutdown will hurt families and farmers, children and servicemembers at a time when families are living paycheck to paycheck.

Let us keep the U.S. Government open. Let us proceed with a bipartisan, bicameral agreement as has been proposed by the United States Senate and let us continue to support Ukraine's fight for freedom.

Mr. Speaker, let's get to work.
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Ms. DeLAURO. Yes, I do. I strongly support the Senate version.

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Ms. DeLAURO. I just say to you that maybe you have had the chance to read 71 pages. This bill doesn't extend the authority to help Ukrainian refugees.

I find it very strange, indeed, that there is no mention of several things, at least preliminarily which we have looked at in this bill.

There are many changes between this bill, as the gentleman asked me, and the Senate bill. There are many changes.

The gentleman from New York should understand that there are many changes between this bill and the Senate bill.

Here is one that I believe the majority will not mention. They amended the Senate bill to give themselves a pay raise--a pay raise. It is there.

Yeah. You can look at me, you can smile, but what you did was you amended the Senate bill to give yourselves a pay raise while you have threatened day in and day out servicemembers; you have threatened workers across this country, and you have said to them, we don't really care about you and whether or not you can support your family. We don't care about that. No. We mainly care about ourselves and our pay raise.

It is pretty true to form with what the American people think about Members, but they should know which Members are willing to give them up in their own self-interest for a pay raise.

It is despicable. You are about to shut the government down, but hours before you do so, you give yourself a pay raise. It is pathetic.

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Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker,

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Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, if I might, I would like to read a letter that was sent by the Under Secretary of Defense, Michael McCord.

The letter was sent to the Speaker of the House as well as to the Senate majority and minority leaders. It is addressed to Leader Jeffries.

``I write to express the Department of Defense's deep concern with the absence of security assistance funding for Ukraine in the continuing resolution being considered in the House . . . or any similar continuing resolution that might be proposed. The Department of Defense is anxious to avoid a lapse in appropriations, but it is important that a CR protect our security interests and uphold our commitments and our values.

``As you know, the Department has been providing vital security assistance to Ukraine since Russia's unprovoked invasion in February 2022, thanks to the bipartisan support of Congress. It is just as vital today that we continue that support.

``Today, DOD has exhausted nearly all available security assistance funding for Ukraine. We are already out of funding for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, one of the two security assistance tools we have.

``The other funding tool we need are those funds provided to replenish our military's inventories for the weapons and supplies we've provided to support Ukraine in their fight via drawdown. We have only $1.6 billion remaining of the $25.9 billion Congress has provided. We have already been forced to slow down the replenishment of our own forces to hedge against an uncertain funding future--'' our own forces. ``Failure to replenish our military services on a timely basis could harm our military's readiness.

``Without additional funding now, we would have to delay our curtail assistance to meet Ukraine's urgent requirements, including for air defense and ammunition that are critical and urgent now as Russia prepares to conduct a winter offensive and continues its bombardment of Ukrainian cities. For example, a lack of USAI funding now will delay contracting actions that could negatively impact the Department's ability to purchase essential additional 155-millimeter artillery and critical munitions essential for the success of Ukraine's Armed Forces.

``This ammunition is critical to sustaining Ukraine's Armed Forces, including for their ongoing counteroffensive. An inability to ensure timely procurement and deliveries could undermine essential Ukrainian operations to retake additional territory or defend against potential future Russian offensives.

``It would also affect our ability to support Ukraine's land forces, including obstacle breaching equipment, sustainment of previously provided small Unmanned Aerial Systems, systems to detect, analyze, and locate adversary signals, and demolitions equipment. It would affect training, maintenance, and sustainment of the equipment we have previously provided, exportability efforts, spare parts, and other activities to ensure the Ukrainian Armed Forces receive a full capability.

``A funding cutoff would also send a negative signal to our defense industrial base, which we have asked to step up munitions production across the country, resulting in increased defense capacity and higher employment.

We cannot afford to throw that progress away. In fact, we are counting on it to implement our national defense strategy. It is important to note that from workers supporting Stinger and AMRAAM manufacturing in Arizona to factories producing components for Patriot interceptors and GMLRS in Arkansas, this funding is strengthening the American economy and creating hundreds of new American jobs.

``Some have suggested that the Department could still execute the mission and support Ukraine's needs if it were given permission to transfer funds from inside a short-term CR from our own needs to fund more security assistance. To be clear, the Department does not support that approach, which will create an unacceptable risk to us. Under a CR, the Department will be operating at a level approximately $25 billion below our budget request for FY 2024, which was and is consistent with the Fiscal Responsibility Act funding levels.

``The bottom line is we cannot sustain adequate levels of Ukraine assistance with transfer authority alone.

``Delays to additional funding would also be perceived by Ukraine as a sign of wavering U.S. support and likely as a betrayal of our previous commitments. Allies and partners are also unlikely to sustain their increased level of support without clear, continuing U.S. leadership. As you know, Secretary Austin successfully engages over 50 nations every month to press for sustained support. It is crucial that the U.S. continues to lead this global coalition, and we need the resources to underwrite our leadership role.

``The Department appreciates your leadership on this vital matter, and I am sending an identical letter to the Speaker of the House, as well as the Senate majority and minority leaders.''

Michael McCord, the Under Secretary for Defense.

Mr. Speaker,

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Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker,

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Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker,

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Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker,

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Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker,

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Ms. DeLAURO. Will the gentleman yield?

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Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I would make reference to page 7 of the 71- page document. In the Senate bill, I might add, they include a line that says the Senate bill includes the blocking or the prohibition on a Member pay raise. That has been dropped from the bill that has just been proposed.

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Ms. DeLAURO. Clark), the Democratic whip.

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