Rounds: Democrats Continue to Filibuster Appropriations Bills

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today issued the following statement after Senate Democrats again filibustered the national defense appropriations bills:

“I have been a proponent of establishing regular order to the Senate budget and appropriations process, yet Senate Democrats refuse to allow us to consider a single appropriations bill. National defense spending should have been the first of 12 appropriations bills debated and amended on the Senate floor. By continuing to filibuster these bills, Senate Democrats are preventing the American people a voice on how and where their hard-earned tax dollars are spent. We cannot find common ground on legislation unless we are allowed to actually discuss them on the floor.

“No one wants to see a government shutdown, but refusing to allow appropriations bills to be considered by the full Senate when 9 of the 12 received broad bipartisan support in committee is both reckless and irresponsible. As it becomes apparent that Democrats in the Senate are obstructing the process, I am pleased leadership is taking the next step to prevent a government shutdown by introducing a funding mechanism that includes policy changes. This moves us in a path that I can support so that we can continue making changes to spending policy.” 

###