Menendez Impromptu Floor Speech on Impending Republican Shutdown

“Only in Washington could Republicans who control the House, the Senate, and the White House try to blame a Democratic minority for their own failure to govern.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Moments ago, U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) spoke on the U.S. Senate floor criticizing the Republicans’ four-week funding bill.

“Let’s be clear about why we are here today,” said Sen. Menendez. “Instead of providing our military, our first responders, our health centers, and all of our federal agencies with the long-term funding they need to efficiently and effectively serve the American people, Senate Republicans want to pass yet another stop-gap, woefully insufficient short-term continuing resolution…

“I heard Leader McConnell yesterday that he wanted to fund the government and provide for all 320 million Americans living across this country. But this CR doesn’t do squat for the three and half million Americans in Puerto Rico who continue to struggle with a human catastrophe, nor does it adequately fund the disaster response that communities torn apart by storms and fires and other disasters…

“Our Republican colleagues were busy in October, November, and December not preparing for the government’s needs, but having a drive in ecstasy for tax cuts for the wealthiest people in the country and large corporations on the backs of middle class and working families…Now, I’ve tried to give my Republican colleagues the benefit of the doubt. I voted for the first and second continuing resolutions.  But enough is enough.”