Rounds: Senate Democrats Continue to Block Appropriations Process

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, today expressed his disappointment that Senate Democrats blocked another appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2016. H.R. 2028, the Energy and Water appropriations bill, was filibustered on the Senate floor today despite receiving overwhelming bipartisan support when it passed the Senate Appropriations Committee earlier this year.

“Senate Democrats continue denying us the opportunity to debate these bills on their merits,” said Rounds. “These tactics, if continued, put us in a position where we will be faced with another government shutdown just before the holidays. We only have until December 11th to pass appropriations bills, so it is important we take them up in a timely manner. The appropriations process is an important duty of Congress. It allows us to enact meaningful reform and prioritize federal programs. Many of these bills have passed with broad, bipartisan support in committee. Unfortunately, Democrats have refused to even debate the appropriations bills on the floor of the Senate. Since they are not allowing debate on appropriations bills we cannot accept amendments to find common ground. Stopping the appropriations process in this manner, and refusing to negotiate on the individual bills, is apparently intended to obtain a continuing resolution based on last year’s funding bills in which Democrat’s policies would be sustained.”

The Energy and Water appropriations bill is one of 12 appropriations bills to fund the government for Fiscal Year 2016.