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Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell announced that five Kentucky public schools located in eastern and western Kentucky received computers from the United States Senate’s Computers for Schools program. The schools were selected by Senator McConnell. The Computers for Schools program is a national initiative administered by the U.S. Senate Sergeant at Arms (SAA) office, which helps public schools by sending surplus computers to schools across the country.

Four of the schools are in eastern Kentucky: Pineville Elementary in Pineville, Owsley County Elementary in Booneville, Mountain View Elementary in Hyden, and McCreary Academy in Stearns. Longest Elementary in Greenville is the recipient school in western Kentucky. Each school received five computers.

Senator McConnell is pleased that this surplus equipment will be used in such a valuable way in providing an innovative learning environment at the five schools. “These computers will help aid teachers at these Kentucky schools in showing students the vast resources that are available at their fingertips,” Senator McConnell said. “This knowledge will give students an upper-hand in learning computer skills and assist in their overall education. It is exciting to be a part of this computer initiative and see its continued support in promoting a good educational environment in the Commonwealth.”

In Bell County, Pineville Elementary School Principal Cynthia Smith thanked Senator McConnell for the new equipment, “Pineville Elementary is really appreciative of the thoughtfulness of Senator McConnell to send these computers to our students. We are a small school with 280 students and we are all excited to have been chosen and to put them to good use in every grade level.”

Owsley County Elementary School Principal Alan Taylor expressed that communication literacy is essential for Booneville students’ success, “We are sincerely grateful to Senator McConnell for these computers that will be used to further the academic success of our students at Owsley Co. Elementary. This is a tremendous boost for our school in these trying economic times.”

Highlighting the impact these computers will have on her students in Leslie County, Mountain View Elementary Principal Heather Gay said, “I am very thankful to Senator McConnell for giving our students these computers. They will be used to help teach technology skills to our 400 K-8th grade students. We’re a small school struggling and with Senator McConnell’s help these computers certainly enhance education at our school.”

McCreary Academy Principal, Sharon Privett, said receiving additional computers will enhance the availability of technology, which is an integral part of all the classrooms at the academy. “The generosity of Senator McConnell’s contribution of technology to our school will be used to support student instruction in intervention programs for at-risk youth. Technology is utilized for student access to online programs and information which extends the walls of our classrooms. We are thankful for Senator McConnell supporting student achievement in our school.”

The Legislative Branch Appropriations Act of 1997 authorized the Senate to participate in the program, which allows the SAA to transfer educationally useful surplus equipment to eligible public schools. The computers remain in excellent condition and are ideal for use in public schools. The SAA, in coordination with the United Parcel Service (UPS), ships the computers to the selected schools.

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor regarding the President’s proposed Fiscal Year 2015 budget:

“The release of a President’s budget is usually a pretty big deal.

“But President Obama’s latest budget, released just this morning, well, it hasn’t ginned up very much excitement.

“Folks just aren’t taking it very seriously, because it’s not a very serious document.

“First of all, it could probably never even pass the Democrat-led Senate. And in some sense, that’s the point. Rather than put together a constructive blueprint the two parties could use as a jumping off point to get our economy moving and our fiscal house in order, the President has once again opted for the political stunt — for a budget that’s more about firing up the President’s base in an election year than about solving the nation’s biggest and most persistent long-term challenges.

“It would increase taxes by well over a trillion dollars – in the worst economic slowdown nearly anyone can remember.

“It would explode spending by $790 billion – forcing us to borrow more money from places like China.

“As I indicated, it would do almost nothing to address the most serious threats facing our children’s’ futures.

“And it doesn’t even come close to balancing this year.

“No wonder the President thought the Left would love it.

“But here’s my question for the President: what about the Middle Class?

“What’s in this for them?

“It seems to me like the President’s just about given up on helping folks who are in the middle, folks who feel like Washington doesn’t take their concerns and anxieties into consideration anymore. What hope is he giving them that their medical bills won’t be as high — that their wages will start going up instead of down? What’s in this budget for them except the nagging feeling that they’ll just keep getting squeezed?

“Look: The President’s well into his sixth year of trying to fix this economy – his sixth year of trying to tax, and spend, and regulate our way to prosperity. Just as his ideology demands.

“But this much has to be clear to him by now: It hasn’t worked.

“Since 2009, the government has spent almost $18 trillion.

“Yet millions of Middle-Class Americans continue to suffer, whether in the unemployment line or in jobs that barely allow them to get by. It’s time the President realized that doubling down on the same failed policies is not going to work.

“Yet that’s just what this budget proposes to do.

“We don’t need any more election-year gimmicks. What’s needed is a new approach – a positive strategy that focuses on helping the Middle Class instead of appeasing the Far-Left.

“President Obama has still got two years left in his presidency. It’s not too late for him to try to make a positive difference for folks struggling to pay the bills. But he has got to let go of the Left and reach out to the Middle.

“He has to decide that bipartisan solutions are worth fighting for. If he does, he’s going to find significant support on this side of the aisle. We want to work with him to get important things done for our country. We always have.

“We’re eager to expand opportunity for the Middle Class – and build more ladders of opportunity for those who aspire into it. We’re eager to enact policies that can create American jobs … approving things like the Keystone Pipeline, and medical-device tax repeal, and important new trade legislation, just to name a few. We’re eager to find ways to control spending and put the debt on a path to elimination. We’re eager to reform the regulatory state so the rules coming out of Washington actually work for people other than the bureaucratic class that writes them.

“There are bipartisan solutions to be had on these types of issues – if only the President can put the politics aside for a few minutes and actually work with us. Really work with us.

“Because the kind of unserious budget he put out today – that’s just the type of silly politicking we’ll need to get past.

“After all, why would we want a budget that grows the federal government while the Middle Class continues to shrink?

“D.C. is doing just fine in the Obama Economy. But real Americans deserve better. And we can give it to them if we work together.

“What I’m saying it this, Mr. President: You’ve got two years left in office. Work with us to make them count.”

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor calling on Majority Leader Reid to allow votes on bipartisan amendments:

“Later today the Senate will vote on motions related to S. 1982, a bill that was not considered in committee, greatly expands spending without any realistic offset, and would vastly overwhelm the Veterans Administration healthcare system.

“It’s shameful that Senate Democrats would seek to score political points by rushing to the floor a bill the committee did not consider, and could have otherwise been handled in a bipartisan manner through regular order.

“Unfortunately, it’s become standard practice around here for the majority to pursue partisan legislation in a take-it-or-leave-it manner, so it’s unsurprising that nobody other than the Majority Leader and the Committee Chairman has been allowed the opportunity to amend this bill.

“Senators on both sides have been shut out of the legislative process. For example, we can’t even vote on the Ranking Member’s Veterans amendment — legislation I support, that will not add to the deficit. I’m a cosponsor of this legislation, which provides full COLA restoration for service members entering the military in 2014, provides advanced appropriations for VA mandatory accounts, improves services and benefits for victims of military sexual trauma, enhances benefits for survivors and dependents of deceased or disabled veterans, encourages the hiring of veterans and, unlike the Sanders bill, is fully paid for.

“Now, as for the Iran sanctions language in the Burr amendment.

“As I noted yesterday, there’s significant disagreement between the President and many members from both parties in both the House and the Senate concerning the best way to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

“The Iranian regime has carried out its best attempt at a charm offensive to forestall not only the implementation — but the legislative consideration of — even tougher sanctions should the regime fail to fulfill its commitments according to November’s interim agreement.

“The interim agreement included a Joint Plan of Action, agreed to by Iran. According to that Joint Plan of Action ‘The U.S. Administration, acting consistent with the respective roles of the President and the Congress, will refrain from imposing new nuclear-related sanctions.’
“The agreement is spelled out clearly to the Iranians — acting consistent with our respective roles, the Iranians can read the plain language and understand that this Congress did not agree to renounce additional sanctions.

“Yet the Majority Leader is determined not to allow a single vote on the Kirk-Menendez bill, which could be fully debated by this body prior to a vote. We will not have that debate, nor will we vote on any amendments related to the bill before us.”

Recent Press Releases

Kentucky Schools Benefit from U.S. Senate Computers for Schools Program

Senator McConnell secured computers to be used by students in eastern Kentucky

March 5, 2014

President’s Budget Aimed at Appeasing the Far Left, Not Helping the Middle Class

‘It seems to me like the President’s just about given up on helping folks who are in the middle, folks who feel like Washington doesn’t take their concerns and anxieties into consideration anymore.’

March 4, 2014

McConnell Calls for Vote on Bipartisan Iran Sanctions, Veterans Amendments

February 27, 2014