Cornyn: Schumer’s Delays on Defense Make America Less Safe

Summary

Senator John Cornyn criticizes the Senate's lack of productivity, blaming the Majority Leader for delaying key legislation, including government funding and the National Defense Authorization Act. He emphasizes the growing threats from China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, and highlights the critical need for a prepared and modernized U.S. military. Cornyn warns that short-term continuing resolutions jeopardize national security and military readiness. He calls for bipartisan efforts to address these issues and stresses the importance of timely legislative action to protect American interests globally.

Takeaways

• 💼 The Majority Leader has exclusive control over scheduling Senate actions, which has caused delays in important matters like government funding and defense bills.
• 🛑 The lack of productivity in the Senate is viewed as malpractice, with a focus on partisan nominees and political votes rather than core governance tasks.
• 🛡️ China's military, particularly its navy, poses a significant long-term threat, with rapid expansion and capabilities that endanger U.S. forces in the Indo-Pacific region.
• 🚀 There is concern that China might use its military advantages to invade Taiwan by 2027, creating a high-risk scenario for U.S. and allied defenses.
• 🇺🇦 Continued U.S. support for Ukraine is crucial in deterring aggression from Russia, with global security interconnected across different regions.
• 🇮🇱 Israel is under threat from Hamas, a group backed by Iran, the top state sponsor of terrorism, highlighting rising instability in the Middle East.
• 🌍 The strategic alliance between China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea is growing, posing a global security threat and requiring serious U.S. attention.
• 🔧 U.S. military readiness is declining due to outdated equipment, technology, and bureaucracy, which is hindering the nation’s defense capabilities.
• 📅 The looming government shutdown could have been avoided if the Senate Majority Leader had prioritized votes on necessary appropriations bills.
• 📉 Short-term continuing resolutions harm military planning and readiness, making it difficult for U.S. forces to operate efficiently and respond to global threats.

Q & A

Who is responsible for scheduling legislative action on the Senate floor?

The Majority Leader is responsible for scheduling legislative action on the Senate floor, and no other senator has the authority to do so.

What criticism does the speaker make regarding the Senate’s lack of productivity?

The speaker criticizes the Senate's lack of productivity, attributing it to the Majority Leader's failure to address key issues like government funding and the defense authorization bill, which he describes as 'malpractice.'

Why does the speaker emphasize the importance of the National Defense Authorization Act?

The National Defense Authorization Act is vital because it provides the necessary authorities and resources for the military to prepare for and address global threats, and its delay could jeopardize military readiness.

What is the significance of September 30 according to the speech?

September 30 marks the end of the fiscal year and the deadline for funding the government and ensuring that the military has the resources it needs to face security challenges.

What global threats are highlighted in the report mentioned by the speaker?

The report highlights threats from China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, emphasizing China's military expansion, Russia's aggression in Ukraine, and Iran's support for terrorist groups like Hezbollah and Hamas.

Why does the speaker express concern about continuing resolutions?

The speaker is concerned that short-term continuing resolutions hinder the military's ability to plan and operate effectively, especially in light of global conflicts and security threats.

How does the speaker describe China's military capabilities?

The speaker describes China as having the world's largest navy, with nearly 400 warships, and a missile capability that threatens U.S. aircraft carriers in the Indo-Pacific region.

What role does the speaker believe Congress should play in ensuring national security?

The speaker believes that Congress has a crucial role in passing legislation like the National Defense Authorization Act and funding bills to ensure military readiness and national security.

What historical reference does the speaker make to emphasize the importance of military preparedness?

The speaker references his father's service as a B-17 pilot in World War II and quotes former Secretary of Defense Bob Gates, who said that 'our holiday from history is over,' stressing the need for ongoing military strength.

Why does the speaker accuse the Majority Leader of delaying legislative action?

The speaker accuses the Majority Leader of deliberately delaying legislative action to enhance his negotiating power over a final package of spending bills, resulting in avoidable crises like government shutdown threats.

Outlines

00:00

🗣️ Senator Criticizes Senate Majority Leader's Inaction

In this paragraph, Senator Cornyn criticizes the Senate Majority Leader for the lack of productivity in the U.S. Senate. He claims that the Majority Leader alone has the power to schedule legislative action and blames him for delaying critical decisions, such as funding the government and passing the annual defense authorization bill. Cornyn emphasizes that this delay is damaging to national security, especially during a time of heightened global tensions.

05:02

🌍 The Global Defense Threats Facing the U.S.

This section highlights a report by the Commission on National Defense Strategy, which outlines key global threats to U.S. security. China is identified as the most serious long-term threat, with its military expansion and growing naval power. The report warns of a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan by 2027 and highlights the danger posed by Russia's aggression in Ukraine. The report stresses the importance of U.S. support for Ukraine and maintaining global deterrence against aggressors.

10:02

🔗 Growing Alignment of Global Adversaries

Here, the senator warns about the growing alignment of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, which he calls an 'axis of autocracies.' The paragraph discusses the assessment from top military leaders who describe the U.S. military as underprepared, with outdated technology and insufficient readiness. Cornyn emphasizes the need for Congress to respond decisively to address these shortcomings and ensure national security.

15:02

🇺🇸 Remembering the Lessons from History

Senator Cornyn reflects on his father’s service as a B-17 pilot in World War II and draws a parallel to the present day. He quotes former Secretary of Defense Bob Gates, who noted that 'our holiday from history is over,' stressing that military conflict is more common than peace. He advocates for a strong military to deter war and argues that Congress must ensure the U.S. military is properly equipped to face future conflicts.

📜 The Importance of the National Defense Authorization Act

This paragraph outlines the importance of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in providing the military with the necessary tools and resources. The senator criticizes the delay in passing the NDAA, which affects military readiness and procurement. He stresses that this legislation is essential for preparing U.S. forces and supporting allied nations.

⏳ Looming Fiscal Deadlines and Military Readiness

As the fiscal year nears its end, Cornyn underscores the urgency of funding the government and ensuring military readiness. He criticizes the Senate Majority Leader for failing to prioritize these essential tasks, which leaves the military vulnerable. He stresses that delays in passing appropriations bills hurt military planning and compromise national security.

🤝 Bipartisan Progress on Funding Bills

The senator acknowledges bipartisan progress made by the Appropriations and Armed Services Committees in advancing necessary funding and defense bills. However, he criticizes the Senate Majority Leader for not bringing these bills to the floor for a vote, leaving the country days away from a potential government shutdown.

📅 Avoidable Crisis: The Senate’s Failure to Act

Cornyn expresses frustration with the Majority Leader’s failure to act on critical legislation, leading to an avoidable crisis just before the fiscal deadline. He points out that short-term funding solutions, like continuing resolutions, hurt the military's ability to plan and respond to threats. The senator argues that Congress should have acted earlier to avoid the last-minute scramble.

📊 Political Delays by Design

In this final paragraph, the senator accuses the Majority Leader of deliberately delaying legislative action to enhance his negotiating power at the end of the year. He argues that this delay threatens national security by preventing Congress from passing timely appropriations and defense bills. Cornyn urges the Senate to act more responsibly to protect the nation's safety.

Keywords

💡Majority Leader

The Majority Leader is the senator who controls the legislative agenda in the U.S. Senate. In this script, the speaker criticizes the Majority Leader for failing to schedule votes on important issues, like funding the government and passing the Defense Authorization Bill. This lack of action is described as detrimental to the functioning of the Senate.

💡Continuing Resolution

A Continuing Resolution (CR) is a temporary funding measure used by the U.S. Congress to keep the federal government operating when the annual appropriations bills have not been passed. The speaker warns that reliance on short-term CRs hampers long-term military planning and readiness, illustrating the speaker's concern for national security.

💡Defense Authorization Bill

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) sets the budget and expenditures for the Department of Defense. The speaker emphasizes the bill's importance in ensuring military readiness and calls out the Majority Leader for delaying its passage, arguing that this delay puts national security at risk.

💡China

In the context of the video, China is described as the most serious long-term threat to U.S. security, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region. The speaker refers to China's military expansion, especially its navy, and the potential threat to Taiwan, framing this as a critical issue in global security.

💡Taiwan

Taiwan is a key geopolitical flashpoint in the Indo-Pacific. The speaker mentions concerns about a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan by 2027, linking it to the broader theme of U.S. military readiness and the importance of deterring aggression from adversaries like China.

💡Ukraine

Ukraine is discussed in the context of its ongoing defense against Russia's aggression. The speaker underscores U.S. support for Ukraine as essential to global security, linking it to the broader principle of deterrence and the message that aggressive nations cannot succeed in conquest.

💡Short-term Funding

Short-term funding refers to the limited, temporary nature of Continuing Resolutions that provide funding for only a few months at a time. The speaker criticizes this practice, particularly its impact on the military’s ability to plan and operate effectively, thus threatening national security.

💡National Defense Strategy Commission

This bipartisan commission was created to assess global security threats and evaluate America’s defense capabilities. The speaker highlights the commission's alarming findings, such as outdated U.S. military equipment and the growing threats posed by China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.

💡Deterrence

Deterrence is a military strategy aimed at preventing aggression by demonstrating the capability and will to respond forcefully. The speaker emphasizes that U.S. military strength and preparedness are key to deterring adversaries like China and Russia, and that failures in military funding compromise this deterrent effect.

💡Global Security

Global security refers to the interconnectedness of security issues across different regions of the world. The speaker argues that conflicts in Europe, the Indo-Pacific, and the Middle East all influence U.S. security, highlighting the importance of a strong, prepared military to address these challenges.

Highlights

Senator Cornyn criticizes the lack of productivity in the Senate, blaming the Majority Leader for the delay in key legislation.

He refers to the delay in passing the defense authorization bill and government funding as malpractice.

The National Defense Strategy Commission report highlights China as the most serious long-term threat in the Indo-Pacific region.

China's military expansion includes having the world's largest navy with nearly 400 warships and a greater capacity to build more than the US.

The report warns of China's potential plan to invade Taiwan by 2027.

Cornyn stresses the importance of deterrence, saying supporting Ukraine is essential to sending a message to aggressors globally.

He discusses the growing alignment of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, referring to them as an 'axis of autocracies.'

Cornyn emphasizes that the US military equipment is outdated, and the industrial base has significant shortcomings.

Bureaucratic red tape and leadership failures in the Department of Defense hinder readiness.

Cornyn recalls his father’s service in World War II to underline the importance of military preparedness and leadership.

Former Secretary of Defense Bob Gates' quote: 'Our holiday from history is over'—emphasizing the need for military readiness.

Cornyn advocates for passing the defense authorization bill to ensure military readiness and reform acquisition processes.

He expresses frustration at the Senate's failure to act on appropriations bills before the fiscal year ends on September 30.

Cornyn blames the Majority Leader for delaying the bills, leading to unnecessary crises like government shutdowns.

He criticizes the use of short-term continuing resolutions, which hinder military planning and readiness.

Transcripts

ARE.

MR. CORNYN: I ASK UNANIMOUS

CONSENT THAT THE QUORUM CALL BE

DISPENSED WITH.

THE PRESIDING OFFICER: WITHOUT

OBJECTION.

MR. CORNYN: MADAM PRESIDENT, AS

MOST PEOPLE KNOW, THE MAJORITY

LEADER IS THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN

SCHEDULE ACTION ON LEGISLATION

ON THE FLOOR OF THE UNITED

STATES SENATE.

NONE OF THE 99 OTHER SENATORS

CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN, WHICH

MEANS THAT THE LACK OF

PRODUCTIVITY ON SOME VERY

IMPORTANT MATTERS BY THE UNITED

STATES SENATE LIES SQUARELY AT

THE FEET OF THE MAJORITY LEADER.

AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT OUR LACK

OF PRODUCTIVITY HERE IN THE

UNITED STATES SENATE VERGES ON

WHAT CAN ONLY BE DESCRIBED AS

MALPRACTICE.

I SAY THAT AS A RECOVERING

LAWYER WHO USED TO DEFEND CASES

OF ALLEGED MALPRACTICE.

BUT WE'VE WASTED VALUABLE FLOOR

TIME ON PARTISAN NOMINEES AND

POLITICAL SHOW VOTES AND NOT

ADVANCED THE FUNDAMENTAL CAUSES

THAT ARE SO BASIC TO GOVERNING.

THINGS LIKE FUNDING THE

GOVERNMENT, THINGS LIKE PASSING

OUR ANNUAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION

BILL, SOMETHING WE'VE DONE MORE

THAN 60 YEARS IN A ROW.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, IT LOOKS LIKE

WE'RE HEADED TOWARD ANOTHER

SHORT-TERM CONTINUING RESOLUTION

AND A DELAY ON BOTH OF THESE

ESSENTIAL TASKS, WHICH WILL

DAMAGE OUR MILITARY WHEN GLOBAL

CONFLICTS ARE MORE TENSE THAN AT

ANY TIME IN RECENT MEMORY.

AND THAT'S NOT HYPERBOLE.

EARLIER THIS YEAR THE HOUSE AND

SENATE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE

CREATED SOMETHING CALLED THE

COMMISSION ON NATIONAL DEFENSE

STRATEGY.

THIS IS A BIPARTISAN GROUP OF

TOP NATIONAL SECURITY AND

DEFENSE EXPERTS TO ASSESS THE

WORLD'S STRATEGIC THREATS TO THE

SAFETY AND SECURITY OF THE

UNITED STATES.

AND TO ANALYZE ANY SHORTCOMINGS

IN AMERICA'S PREPARATION.

WELL, THE COMMISSION'S REPORT

THAT CAME OUT LAST WEEK WAS

NOTHING SHORT OF STUNNING.

AND I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT SOME

OF ITS FINDINGS.

THEY DESCRIBED CHINA AS THE MOST

SERIOUS AND LONGEST-TERM THREAT

TO THE SAFETY AND SECURITY AND

PEACE IN THE INDO-PACIFIC.

MILITARILY, THE PEOPLE'S

REPUBLIC OF CHINA GOVERNED BY

THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY ARE

EXPANDING THEIR FORCES FROM AIR

TO CYBER TO SPACE, AND THEY NOW

HAVE THE WORLD'S LARGEST NAVY AT

NEARLY 400 WARSHIPS.

AND THEIR CAPACITY TO BUILD MORE

SHIPS IS ESTIMATED TO BE ABOUT

230 TIMES GREATER THAN OURS.

CHINA NOW POSSESSES MISSILES AND

CONTINUES TO ENHANCE THEIR

CAPABILITIES, WHICH WOULD PUT

ANY OF OUR AIRCRAFT CARRIERS IN

THE INDO-PACIFIC AT GRAVE RISK

IN THE EVENT OF A CONFLICT.

AND AS THE REPORT STATES, THEY

MAY VERY WELL USE THESE

SIGNIFICANT ADVANTAGES TO INVADE

TAIWAN BY 2027 AND ATTEMPT TO

DEFEAT AMERICAN OR OTHER ALLIED

ATTEMPTS TO DEFEND TAIWAN AND

ITS SOVEREIGNTY.

TURNING TO EUROPE, UKRAINE

CONTINUES TO DEFEND ITSELF

AGAINST RUSSIA'S UNPROVOKED

AGGRESSION WHICH BEGAN REALLY

BACK IN 2014 WHEN THEY INVADED

CRIMEA BUT WAS ESCALATED

APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS AGO WHEN

THEY INTENDED TO ESSENTIALLY

TAKE THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.

AS THESE DEFENSE STRATEGY REPORT

INDICATES, AMERICA'S CONTINUED

SUPPORT OF UKRAINE AGAINST ITS

INVASION BY VLADIMIR PUTIN'S

RUSSIA ISN'T JUST ESSENTIAL TO

UKRAINE SURVIVAL.

IT'S PARAMOUNT TO SENDING THE

MESSAGE TO THE WORLD THAT

AGGRESSORS WHO SEEK TO INVADE

SMALLER NATIONS SIMPLY CANNOT

WIN.

THAT'S WHAT WE CALL DETERRENCE.

IN ESSENCE, GLOBAL SECURITY'S

INTERCONNECTED AND WHAT HAPPENS

IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER CAN

IMPACT OUR SECURITY IN THE

PACIFIC THEATER AND AROUND THE

WORLD.

OF COURSE IN THE MIDDLE EAST,

OUR CLOSE ALLY ISRAEL IS

DEFENDING ITS VERY EXISTENCE.

FOLLOWING A BRUTAL AND

UNPROVOKED ATTACK BY THE

TERRORIST GROUP HAMAS, WHICH IS

BACKED BY ITS SPONSOR IRAN, THE

NUMBER-ONE STATE SPONSOR OF

INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM.

IRAN AND ITS PROXIES, NAMELY,

HEZBOLLAH, HAMAS, THE HOUTHIS,

ARE MORE EMBOLDENED THAN THEY

HAVE EVER BEEN AS THEY CONTINUE

WREAKING HAVOC ACROSS THE

REGION.

MORE BROADLY, THE COMMISSION'S

REPORT CAUTIONED AGAINST THE

GROWING ALIGNMENT OF CHINA,

RUSSIA, IRAN, AND NORTH KOREA.

THIS ISN'T EXACTLY PAREKHING

NEWS -- EXACTLY BREAKING NEWS,

BUT TO SEE SOME OF THE BEST

MILITARY LEADERS IN OUR COUNTRY

PUT THEIR CONCERNS IN WRITING

ABOUT THIS AXIS OF AWE --

AUTOCRACIES AND THEIR STATEMENT

IT MAY LEAD TO COORDINATED

TO U.S. INTEREST GLOBALLY SHOULD

WAKE ALL OF US IT.

WE NEED TO LOOK AT OUR

PREPARATION.

THE MILITARY EXPERTS POINT OUT

THAT OUR EQUIPMENT IS OLD, OUR

TECHNOLOGY IS OUTDATED, OUR

INDUSTRIAL BASE IS SHORT -- HAS

SHORTCOMINGS.

OUR FORCED READINESS IS NOT WHAT

IT SHOULD BE AND THE DEPARTMENT

OF DEFENSE IS TOO SLOW TO

RESPOND BECAUSE OF BUREAUCRATIC

RED TAPE AND A FAILURE OF

LEADERSHIP.

LET ME REPEAT.

THESE ARE AMONG THE MOST ADMIRED

AND TALENTED MILITARY MINDS IN

THE COUNTRY WHO ARE SAYING THESE

THINGS.

THIS ASSESSMENT SHOULD WAKE UP

EVERY AMERICAN BUT ESPECIALLY

MEMBERS OF CONGRESS BECAUSE IT

IS UP TO US TO RESPOND AND TO

RESPOND APPROPRIATELY.

AND THE QUESTION IS, WHAT ARE WE

GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?

MY DAD WAS A B-17 PILOT IN THE

ARMY AIR CORPS IN WORLD WAR II,

AND FLEW 26 BOMBING MISSIONS

OVER NAZI GERMANY UNTIL HE WAS

SHOT DOWN AND CAPTURED AS A POW.

MY DAD, LIKE SO MANY OF THE

GREATEST NATION CAME BACK TO THE

UNITED STATES AND WENT TO SCHOOL

ON THE G.I. BILL OF RIGHTS AND

HELPED TO REBUILD THE COUNTRY

AND THE REST OF THE WAR-TORN

WORLD.

WE WOULD NOT HAVE LARGE MILITARY

CONFLICTS BETWEEN GREAT

CONFLICTS AGAIN, PERHAPS THAT

WOULD BE THE LAST.

BUT AS BOB GATES, THE FORMER

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE HAS

REMINDED US, HE SAID THAT OUR

HOLIDAY FROM HISTORY IS OVER.

IN OTHER WORDS, WAR TENDS TO BE

MORE -- MORE THE RULE THAN THE

EXCEPTION AND THE ONLY THING

THAT PREVENTS WAR FROM BREAKING

OUT IN MILITARY CONFLICTS IS THE

STRENGTH OF MILITARY POWER AND

OUR WILLINGNESS TO TAKE

LEADERSHIP ROLE.

RONALD REAGAN WAS RIGHT WHEN HE

TALKED ABOUT PEACE THROUGH

STRENGTH.

SO WE NEED TO BE READY, WE NEED

TO BE PREPARED AND WE NEED TO BE

ENGAGED IN ORDER TO DETER THESE

WOULD-BE AGGRESSORS AROUND THE

WORLD.

EXACTLY HOW ARE WE GOING TO BE

PREPARED?

WELL, CONGRESS'S ROLE IS TO MAKE

SURE WE PASS THE AUTHORITIES

NECESSARY IN THE NATIONAL

DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT TO

ENABLE OUR WAR FIGHTERS TO BE

PREPARED AND TO GET THE TRAINING

AND EQUIPMENT THEY NEED IN ORDER

TO DETERRITORY NEXT WAR.

AND THEN THERE, OF COURSE, IS

PASSING THE APPROPRIATIONS BILLS

THAT MAKE SURE THAT THEIR PAY

AND THEIR TRAINING AND THEIR

FAMILIES ARE TAKEN CARE OF.

NOW, THE DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION

BILL THAT THE MAJORITY LEADER

HAS DEFERRED UNTIL AFTER THE

ELECTION DOES REALLY IMPORTANT

THINGS LIKE MAKING SURE OUR

DEFENSE INDUSTRIAL BASE IS READY

TO PRODUCE THE WEAPONS AND

THE -- AND THE MATERIAL THAT ARE

NEEDED NOT ONLY BY THE UNITED

STATES BUT BY OUR ALLIES AROUND

THE WORLD.

IT ALSO IS FOCUSED ON REFORMING

OUR ACQUISITION AND PROCUREMENT

PROCESSES TO ENSURE OUR ARMED

FORCES CAN MEET THE CHALLENGES

OF THIS EVOLVING AND DANGEROUS

THREAT ENVIRONMENT.

BUT, MADAM PRESIDENT, SEPTEMBER

30 IS THE END OF THE FISCAL

YEAR.

OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE DEADLINE

TO FUND THE GOVERNMENT FOR THE

NEXT 12 MONTHS.

AS WELL AS TO PROVIDE OUR

MILITARY WITH THE AUTHORITIES

AND RESOURCES IT NEEDS TO FACE

THE SECURITY CHALLENGES THAT

I'VE TOUCHED ON.

THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR,

SEPTEMBER 30, DOES NOT SNEAK UP

ON US.

WE KNOW WHEN THAT DATE -- WHERE

THAT DATE IS ON THE MAP AND WE

KNOW THAT IT'S OUR JOB TO BE

PREPARED TO MEET THAT TIMELINE.

YET THE MAJORITY LEADER HAS

FAILED TO PUT ON THE FLOOR THE

SORTS OF OPPORTUNITIES WE NEED

IN ORDER TO FUND THE GOVERNMENT

AND TO EQUIP OUR MILITARY.

AND IT'S SIMPLY INEXCUSABLE.

IT ISN'T FOR LACK OF TRYING BY

THE RELEVANT COMMITTEES ON BOTH

SIDES OF THE AISLE.

SENATOR MURRAY, THE CHAIRMAN OF

THE SENATE APPROPRIATIONS

COMMITTEE, A DEMOCRAT, AND

SENATOR COLLINS, THE VICE CHAIR

OF THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE,

A REPUBLICAN, HAVE MADE SERIOUS

PROGRESS ON THE APPROPRIATIONS

PROCESS, THE APPROPRIATIONS

COMMITTEE HAS APPROVED 11 OF THE

12 FUNDING BILLS IN A BIPARTISAN

FASHION.

ON THE DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION

BILL, CHAIR REED, A DEMOCRAT AND

RANKING MEMBER WICKER, A

REPUBLICAN HAS WORKED TIRELESSLY

TO ADVANCE THE ARMED SERVICES

BILL OUT OF THE COMMITTEE, BUT

THE MAJORITY LEADER HAS DONE

NOTHING -- NOTHING TO MOVE THESE

BILLS ON TIME ACROSS THE SENATE

FLOOR.

AGAIN, THERE'S NONE OF THE OTHER

99 OF US WHO CAN DO ANYTHING

ABOUT THAT.

THAT IS SOLELY HIS AUTHORITY AND

HIS RESPONSIBILITY.

BUT HE'S DONE NOTHING UNTIL HERE

WE ARE JUST DAYS BEFORE THE

DEADLINE.

THIS IS A COMPLETELY AVOIDABLE

CRISIS.

I HEARD THE MAJORITY WHIP, THE

SENATOR FROM ILLINOIS TALK

ABOUT -- HE SAID IT'S EMBA

EMBARRASSING THAT WE FIND

OURSELVES IN THIS SITUATION.

WELL, THE EMBARRASSMENT IS AS A

RESULT OF THE MAJORITY LEADER'S

FAILURE TO EVEN MOVE THESE BILLS

ACROSS THE FLOOR.

HE LIKES TO POINT ACROSS THE

CAPITOL TO THE HOUSE, AND, YES,

THE HOUSE HAS ITS OWN

CHALLENGES, BUT WE WOULDN'T BE

LOOKING AT SHORT-TERM CONTINUING

RESOLUTION AND THE PHONY

NARRATIVE OF A SHUTDOWN IF THE

MAJORITY LEADER AND THE UNITED

STATES SENATE HAD DONE ITS JOB

AND DONE IT ON TIME.

AND OUR MILITARY COMMANDERS WILL

TELL YOU THAT SHORT-TERM

CONTINUING RESOLUTIONS ARE NO

WAY TO OPERATE.

EVERY ONE OF THESE SHORT-TERM

BILLS, WHICH IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE

HEADING TOWARD A SEPTEMBER 30

DEADLINE FOR ANOTHER SHORT-TERM

C.R. BILL, AND WITH A

THREE-MONTH FUNDING STREAM, IT'S

ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO PLAN.

THE NATIONAL DEFENSE

AUTHORIZATION BILL PASSED AND

THE LAME -- IN THE LAME DUCK

DOESN'T GIVE THE MILITARY THE

SENATOR IT NEEDS SO THE DIGS --

DECISIONS CAN BE MADE TO MAKE

THE LONG AND SHORT-TERM NEEDS.

THE POST LEGISLATION MAKES OUR

MILITARY LESS CAPABILITY,

JEOPARDIZING OUR READINESS AND

LEAVING CITIZENS AT HOME AND

ABROAD MORE VULNERABLE TO OUR

ADVERSARIES WHO ARE ON THE

MARCH.

IF I CAN PAINT A BRIEF PICTURE

OF THE STATE OF THE MAJORITY

LEADER'S SENATE, WE HAVE LESS

THAN FIVE DAYS BEFORE THE END OF

THE MONTH, THAT'S WHY WE'RE

HEARING ALL OF THIS UNNECESSARY

DRAMA AND NARRATIVE ABOUT A

POTENTIAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

AND WE'VE NOT CONSIDERED A

SINGLE APPROPRIATIONS BILL IN

THE SENATE, WHICH WE COULD HAVE

DONE MONTHS AGO.

WE HAVE WARS IN THE MIDDLE EAST

AND IN EUROPE AND RISING

TENSIONS IN THE INDO-PACIFIC AND

BEYOND THAT COULD REACH A FEVER

PITCH AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE.

AND AWAY HAVE DEFENSE LEADERS

FROM EVERY FACET OF OUR MILITARY

SAYING THAT THE WAY THE SENATE

IS CURRENTLY OPERATING WHEN IT

COMES TO FUNDING THE MILITARY

AND PROVIDING FOR THE

AUTHORITIES THAT THEY NEED IN

ORDER TO DO THEIR JOB IN THE

DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BILL, THAT

THE SENATE'S FAILURE TO ACT ON A

TIMELY BASIS IS MAKING THEIR

JOBS HARDER.

AND AMERICANS LESS SAFE.

WHEN YOU ADD ALL THESE FACTORS

TOGETHER, THE PICTURE OF

LEADERSHIP HERE IN THE UNITED

STATES SENATE IS TRULY PITIFUL.

IT'S DIFFICULT TO DESCRIBE HOW

FRUSTRATING AND ALARMING IT IS

WHEN THE SENATE'S LEADERSHIP

FAILS TO ACT ON SUCH BASIC

MATTERS AS KEEPING THE LIGHTS ON

AND FUNDING THE GOVERNMENT OR

MAKING SURE THAT OUR MILITARY IS

READY TO STOP AND PREVENT THE

NEXT POTENTIAL MILITARY

CONFLICT.

IT'S EVEN MORE DIFFICULT TO

CONVEY THE NATIONAL SECURITY

IMPLICATIONS THAT COME WITH

THESE SHORT-TERM CONTINUING

RESOLUTIONS.

ALTHOUGH THE COMMISSION'S REPORT

IS THE BEST ATTEMPT I'VE SEEN

RECENTLY.

NOW, I APPRECIATE THE CHALLENGES

THAT SPEAKER JOHNSON HAS ACROSS

THE CAPITOL TO HELP CONGRESS

AVERT A SHUTDOWN, AND I

UNDERSTAND THEY'RE GOING TO TRY

TO PASS A THREE-MONTH CONTINUING

RESOLUTION THAT WILL TAKE US TO

DECEMBER 20, AT WHICH TIME WE

WILL PLAY THIS MOVIE OVER AGAIN

BECAUSE ALL WE ARE DOING IS

KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD

THREE MONTHS AND FAILING TO DO

OUR JOB ON TIME OR THE WAY IT

SHOULD BE DONE.

BUT LET'S NOT FORGET WE COULD

HAVE AVOIDED ALL OF THIS IF THE

SENATE MAJORITY LEADER HAD

SCHEDULED VOTES ON INDIVIDUAL

GOVERNMENT FUNDING BILLS MONTHS

AGO, AS HE COULD HAVE.

THESE ARE BIPARTISAN BILLS.

SO HE OWNS IT, AND YOU MIGHT SAY

HE DESIGNED IT.

THIS DELAY IS BY DESIGN BY THE

MAJORITY LEADER.

THERE'S NO OTHER REASONABLE

EXPLANATION.

HE DOES IT BECAUSE THIS ENHANCES

HIS POWER TO NEGOTIATE A FINAL

PACKAGE OF SPENDING BILLS AT THE

END OF THE YEAR.

BUT THE THREATS TO OUR NATIONAL

SECURITY ARE REAL AND THE

EMBARRASSMENT THAT THE MAJORITY

WHIP EXPRESSED EARLIER IS REAL,

BUT IT COULD ALL BE AVOIDED IF

HE WOULD SIMPLY HAD LET THE

SENATE DO ITS JOB ON A TIMELY

BASIS.