Authorizing Fully Electronic Stamps
Floor Speech
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Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I am not opposed.
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Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, first of all, let me step back and wish the chair of the Appropriations Committee, Ms. Granger, a happy birthday.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this continuing resolution, which I hope is the last of the fiscal year 2024 appropriations process.
This continuing resolution keeps the government open while the Appropriations Committees in the House and the Senate continue bipartisan negotiations on final 2024 funding bills that are in line with the agreement we have had since last June.
I am encouraged by the conversations that have taken place since the top-line numbers were reaffirmed in the Schumer-Johnson agreement, and I appreciate the good faith and the respectful four-corner negotiation that took place to put forward this continuing resolution.
I hope the current pace and tone will result in swiftly finalizing all 2024 funding bills in a bipartisan fashion.
I might add that I think the Senate just voted a short time ago, overwhelmingly, I think, 77-18, to move forward the appropriations bills.
House Republicans wasted the entire duration of the first continuing resolution and most of the second arguing over 2024 funding levels they agreed to last summer. However, I believe we have finally moved on from that charade, and there is now a mutual understanding that the only way to finally end the saga of 2024 funding is to write appropriations bills that can earn the support of both Democrats and Republicans in the House and Senate, bills that will likely need to pass under suspension of the rules like the bill we are considering today.
While there may be a Republican majority on paper, more than 200 Democrats will be needed to keep the government's lights on and ensure that the American people have uninterrupted access to the services and programs that help their families stay healthy, boost our economy, and keep us safe and secure.
That is why Democrats in both Chambers have also made clear that the final funding bill cannot include any poison pill riders.
In addition to negotiating and passing the 12 appropriations bills, Congress still must respond to President Biden's supplemental request for our urgent national security needs. We must quickly provide additional support to Ukraine in their fight against Russian tyranny. We cannot allow Vladimir Putin to be rewarded for perpetuating a pointless and bloody war. We cannot allow Russia to bully sovereign nations into ceding their territory to a tyrant.
We know Putin believes that ``Russia's borders do not end anywhere.'' He is profoundly mistaken, and we must prove him definitively wrong.
We must also support Israel's efforts to defeat Hamas while ensuring we do everything possible to protect innocent lives and provide humanitarian aid.
Finally, we must work in good faith to resolve the very difficult and critical issues at our southern border. We have to come to a bipartisan compromise and show the American people Congress is still able to address urgent crises.
Congress must avoid a shutdown. We must enact full-year spending bills and emergency assistance for Ukraine, for Israel, and for the civilians caught in the crossfire, as well as for our border and for the American people, as soon as possible. To those ends, let this be our last continuing resolution.
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Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, as I said at the outset, this continuing resolution keeps the government open while the Appropriations Committees in the House and Senate continue bipartisan negotiations on the final 2024 funding bills that are in line with the agreement that we have had since last June.
I am so encouraged by the conversations that have taken place since the top-line numbers were reaffirmed. I appreciate the good faith and respectful four-corner negotiation that took place to put forward this continuing resolution.
My hope is that the current pace and tone will result in swiftly finalizing all of the 2024 funding bills in a bipartisan fashion because that is what we are here to do. That is our job to govern. That is what the American people expect of us.
Some of my colleagues would see that this government would shut down and don't care how hurtful that would be. I have a quick story to share.
Today, on my way to a meeting in the CVC, a young woman who I see just about every day, called me over and with fear in her face, she said to me: Are you going to keep the government open? I said: We are. She said: Thank you. You don't know how stressed we all are and fearful of what will happen to our jobs and our families.
Some of my colleagues would like to see a government shutdown because we don't pay a price. We don't give up our salaries. Maybe if we did, people would have a different view, but that young woman knows that if this government shuts down, she will not be able to take care of her family. That is what people should be thinking about in this body this afternoon.
Madam Speaker, I say to my colleagues, let's do what is right for the American people and the people who work in this institution and who work in agencies all over this country. They need to know that we can govern, that we want to govern, and that we know how to govern.
I believe that is possible in a bipartisan way. I have seen it in the past. I look forward to proceeding now.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
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