Today –

• Following leader remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of the conference report to accompany H.R. 2577, the MilCon-VA/Zika appropriations bill.
• At 5:30 PM, the Senate will proceed to up to two VOTES on the following:
  • Motion to invoke cloture on the conference report to accompany H.R. 2577
  • Motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R. 5293, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act

 

Senator McConnell: (3:04 PM)

• Spoke on the MilCon-VA/Zika appropriations bill and the DoD appropriations bill.
  • "But these issues have certainly not gone away. In fact, this summer brought even more cases of Zika with mosquitoes now spreading the virus in some counties and health officials issuing travel warnings to pregnant women to Miami. This summer also brought with it even more ISIL-inspired or directed terror attacks from France to Turkey as well as more concerns of growing aggression from countries like North Korea, which recently test launched another missile. These instances from the summer further underscore the urgency of the challenges facing us and why it's imperative that our colleagues end their respective filibusters of these bills. So today we'll give Senate Democrats another opportunity to follow through on their own calls for action on Zika, to support our veterans who deserve the treatment and benefits they've earned, and to provide for our service members who sacrifice so much to protect the country and the people we love. I hope our colleagues will join us now to finally end their senseless filibusters and help us do our part to address these serious issues."

 

Senator Reid: (3:08 PM)

• Spoke on the MilCon-VA/Zika appropriations bill.
  • "The Senate has a mountain of work to do and no time to do it. First and foremost, the Senate needs to fund efforts to combat Zika. It's a dread problem that's sweeping this country. Earlier this year, Democrats tried in vain to bring Republicans to the realization that Zika was imperiling the health of all, especially women of childbearing age. We accepted the Senate compromise. Last May, 89 senators voted to pass that legislation. Republicans in the House said no, and then surprisingly when we tried to pass it as a stand-alone here, the Republican Senate said we don't agree to what we agreed to just a few weeks ago. Stunning to say the least."
• Spoke on the continuing resolution.
  • "President Obama will reject any continuing resolution that extends into 2017. Notably, members of Congress received their pay during their seven weeks we were out of Washington and would receive our salaries during the Republicans' proposed ten-week recess. Let's be clear. A funding resolution that stretches into next year is a permission slip for Congress to refuse to do its job for the rest of the year. The next Senate should not begin months behind because of this Republican Senate's failure to do its job. Once we've ensured that the government is properly funded, we must turn our attention to the important issues that the Republican Senate has failed to adequately address."