Northeast South Dakota News

U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) addressed the Senate on the eighth day of the ongoing government shutdown, criticizing Democratic leadership for what he described as an unnecessary and avoidable situation.

In his remarks, Thune emphasized that a short-term funding bill passed by the House of Representatives is currently before the Senate. He described the bill as “twenty-four pages long, clean, short-term, nonpartisan, no policy riders, no Republican priorities,” adding that it is “a clean resolution to fund the government,” and claimed that 55 senators support it.

Thune said, “The president of the United States has said that, as soon as it is passed in the Senate, he will sign it into law.” He argued this demonstrates unified support for reopening the government and restoring pay to federal employees affected by the shutdown.

He contrasted this with a proposal from Democrats which he stated “would only get 47 votes here in the United States Senate, not even 50, not 51, not a majority,” and asserted it would not pass in the House or be signed into law. Thune questioned responsibility for the continued shutdown: “Now, you tell me – you tell me – who is responsible for the government shutdown.”

According to Thune, “Republicans passed a bill in the House… We can pick it up and pass it today, send it to the president, who will sign it into law.” He criticized a competing proposal from Democrats that he said includes $1.5 trillion in new spending and other provisions opposed by Republicans.

Thune called for passage of the House-approved resolution: “We have a straightforward, simple proposition: a 24-page funding resolution to keep the government open with no partisan policy riders… funds the government through November the 21st.” He explained this would allow time for normal appropriations work.

Addressing additional policy issues raised by Democrats—including health care—Thune stated: “But you can’t take the federal government hostage and expect to have a reasonable conversation on those issues. The government needs to be funded. Federal employees need to go back to work.”

He repeated his call for bipartisan support: “It’s whether or not they want to support a 24-page funding resolution that keeps the government open, or continue to vote for $1.5 trillion in new spending…”

Thune noted polling data on public opinion regarding the shutdown: “In fact, there’s a new Harvard-Harris poll that came out Monday that found that 70 percent of voters oppose a government shutdown. 70 percent. And of interest to my Democrat colleagues, 65 percent of voters – including 63 percent of independents – think Democrats should end the shutdown by accepting a continuing resolution like the clean funding resolution I just described that’s in front of us.”

He cited media reports on progressive groups influencing Democratic strategy: “‘Progressive grassroots groups are blasting congressional Democrats on speed dial to “hold the line” in any negotiations to reopen the government.’” Another report was quoted as stating: “‘Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and his staff are closely coordinating their government shutdown strategy with outside liberal groups … Backing down and helping fund the government, like Schumer did in March, is unacceptable, the groups have told his team.’”

Reflecting on previous positions held by Democratic leaders on shutdowns, Thune remarked: “So much so, that even though he didn’t like the continuing resolution we passed in the spring, he voted for it anyway, because, in his words… ‘a government shutdown would be far worse.’ But then progressive groups got big-time mad.”

He concluded by urging Democrats to reconsider their stance: “Democrats will get another chance this week to vote to keep the government open. And I hope the Democrat leader and Democrat senators can summon up some of that concern they used to have about shutdowns, and vote to reopen the government.”