Unanimous Consent Request -- H.J. Res. 72

Floor Speech

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, many of us were stunned this week to see the administration blocking the World War II Memorial. It was a reminder to all of us how much we owe the ``greatest generation.'' Last week the Senate unanimously agreed to ensure our troops are paid during the shutdown, and the President correctly signed it into law immediately.

Today the House will pass a bill to ensure our veterans--in fact, they have done that--continue to get the services and benefits they so richly deserve. If Democrats are unwilling to fund other parts of the government, at the very least they can agree to support our veterans.

As the Senator from Texas and the majority leader were just discussing, I have the first of these unanimous consent requests to propound.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, with all due respect to my good friend the majority leader, he was speaking about the junior Senator from Texas, whom I don't see on the floor at the moment. The request was made by the minority leader, the Republican leader of the Senate, and it dealt, quite appropriately, with veterans' benefits. That was the whole purpose of the consent request.

I would repeat that I was the one who requested consent that we provide relief for veterans during this shutdown, and the person to whom his speech seems to be directed I don't see on the floor at the moment. But with that, I know we are in the middle of a colloquy here, and the Republican whip has the podium now.

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