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Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor regarding the House-passed bill that urges the Secretary of Defense to permit religious activities during the federal shutdown:

“Last Saturday, the House voted 400-1 to express the view that a government shutdown should not interfere with the ability of military chaplains to provide services for our servicemembers.

“The House took that vote amid reports that chaplains were limited in their ability to minister to those who sought their services — even if ministers were doing so on a volunteer basis.

“We’ve even heard reports that those who scheduled baptisms might not be able to have them. Obviously, this is an intolerable situation.

“We’ve got a very large military presence in Kentucky. The folks at Fort Campbell and Fort Knox don’t need this.

“We need to remedy the situation immediately, and care for the troops that have volunteered to defend us.

“The House has already taken a stand — on an overwhelmingly bipartisan basis. It’s time for the Senate to do the same.

“I call on the Majority Leader to allow a vote to express the Senate’s view that service members in my state, every other state, or overseas should be able to receive religious services.

“This is one vote we should have today — and some of my colleagues will talk this afternoon about some other votes we should also have.

“The government may be shut down, but our service men and women shouldn’t be caught in the middle of the impasse.”

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor regarding the need for Senate Democrats to work with Republicans on a solution to end the federal shutdown while maintaining the Budget Control Act:

“I appreciate the comments of the Majority Leader. I might say, however, that as much as I appreciate his comments to all of us, the real challenge is his relationship with the House and whether or not we can begin the discussion process to get to an outcome.

“Nobody is happy with the government shutdown, certainly not anybody on this side and not anybody on the other side.

“But I would remind everybody on both sides of the aisle that Democratic Senators have said repeatedly, ‘Obamacare is the law of the land’. And basically we should get used to it. We have suggested various modifications, some of which enjoy bipartisan support, but obviously so far that's not something our friends on the other side are willing to do.

“But let me also point out to all of you that the Budget Control Act is also the law of the land. It was negotiated on a bipartisan basis, signed by the President of the United States, and the Budget Control Act is the law of the land.

“When the Majority Leader, says he was negotiating with the house over the CR level, my view was that that was not a negotiation. That was current law. In place, passed on a bipartisan basis, signed by the President of the United States. Current law.

“So I think I can pretty safely say that nobody on this side believes that we ought to revisit a law that has reduced government spending for two years in a row for the first time since the Korean War.

“At a time when we have a debt the size of our economy, which makes us look a lot like a Western European country.

“So as we go into whatever discussions we end up having to solve the shutdown problem, I would say to my friends on the other side, revisiting a law you negotiated with the President, passed on a bipartisan basis, that is actually reducing spending, ought not be part of the final outcome.

“But talk we should. The American people have given us divided government. And when you have divided government, it means you have to talk to each other.

“This is not 2009 and 2010 when our friends on the other side had a total hammer lock on all the government. We now have divided government. It means we have to talk to each other and get to an outcome.

“And I think it's far past time to get that done. And I hope, given where we are today, that there's adequate incentive to get those talks started, principally between the Majority Leader and the Speaker, to get us to the outcome that we all want and to get us there soon.

“But, let me just conclude by saying the Budget Control Act is the law of the land. If you believe in reducing government spending, it is working.

“My members and the American people think reducing government spending is a good idea, and so we have a law in place that is achieving those kinds of results. That’s not something that at a time when we have a debt the size of our economy we ought to lightly walk away from.

“I hope the Majority Leader, in addition to talking to us, which we appreciate, talks to the Speaker, because that's how we resolve this crisis.”

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor regarding the need for Senate Democrats to negotiate a solution to end the federal shutdown that they created:

“Well, we’re now in the second week of a government shutdown that nobody claims to want.

“Democrats say it’s unreasonable to ask for any changes or delays to Obamacare. And Republicans, well, we think the Obamacare rollout has proven beyond the shadow of a doubt just how reasonable a delay is. I mean, if anybody had any doubts about the need to delay this thing, those doubts should have been allayed this weekend when the administration admitted its website wasn’t working and took it offline for repairs.

“Delay and basic fairness are what Republicans are asking for at this point — not exactly the sun and the moon.

“Another thing Republicans have been saying is that if we can’t agree on a bill to fund the entire government, let’s at least pass the most urgent pieces of it; let’s at least pass the parts we can all agree on.

“And that’s exactly what the House has already begun to do.

“Over the past several days, the two parties in the House of Representatives have responsibly come together and passed no fewer than eight bills to fund things like the Coast Guard, the Guard and Reserve, and programs for veterans.

“In other words, the House has quietly shown that the two parties aren’t completely at odds in this debate — that there is in fact some common ground here.

“Slowly but surely the House has approved funding for folks who shouldn’t get caught in the middle of a political impasse like this; on a bipartisan basis.
Over the weekend, the House passed a bill that said a government shutdown doesn’t affect the Free Exercise of Religion on military bases — 184 Democrats agreed.

“Another bill said government workers shouldn’t have to wonder how they’re going to pay their bills during a shutdown — 189 Democrats agreed.

“The bill to fund FEMA drew 23; NIH drew 25; National Parks, 23.

“So let’s be clear: the problem here isn’t the House.

“There’s actually a fair amount of agreement among Republicans and Democrats over there that lawmakers have a duty and responsibility that rises above the politics of the moment to fund things like veterans, cancer trials, the National Guard and Reservists in every state.

“The problem is the Senate.

“Look: I know Democrats don’t like it, but the American people have given us a divided government two elections in a row now. They gave us a Republican House and a Democrat Senate.

“That means negotiation isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity.

“And until Senate Democrat leaders accept that reality, these crises will only be harder to resolve. So I would suggest that they start thinking about how they might start playing a constructive role in this crisis, and in the challenges to come.

“There’s a time for politics, and there’s a time for sitting down like adults and working things out. Republicans are ready and willing to negotiate. We invite Senate Democrat leaders to join us.”

Recent Press Releases

McConnell Calls for Restoring Military Chaplain Service during Shutdown

Senator McConnell asked Unanimous Consent to pass this bill and Senate Democrats objected.

October 9, 2013

McConnell Calls on Senate Democrats to Negotiate

October 8, 2013

McConnell: Pass the House Funding Bills

October 7, 2013