Press ReleaseBipartisan2026-06-09

Kennedy explains why Congress is unlikely to pass new budgets: “Every single Democrat will vote no”

TaxesForeign PolicyChina

Context

This press release from Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) was published on 2026-06-09 and titled "Kennedy explains why Congress is unlikely to pass new budgets: “Every single Democrat will vote no”".

Full Text

Kennedy explains why Congress is unlikely to pass new budgets: “Every single Democrat will vote no”

Watch Kennedy's comments here . WASHINGTON - Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) explained why he believes Senate Democrats will refuse to pass a new budget in favor of another government shutdown before the midterm elections in a speech on the U.S. Senate floor. Key excerpts of the speech are below: "I do not want America to be the world's policeman. But I don't want Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin and the Ayatollah in Iran to be, either. We have to meet this challenge. To do that, we have to spend more money on defense. I wish we didn't, but we do. "Now, there are only three ways to do that, as you know, Mr. President: Through our budget, the regular appropriation process, through what's called a supplemental bill, which deals just with defense spending, and through the process of reconciliation. . . . We have the option of reconciliation, but time is running out. And I hear all the happy talk - I don't mean that, really, in a pejorative sense, though it came out that way - I hear all the happy talk in the House, and I participate in that happy talk, saying, we need to do a third reconciliation bill. But if I'm honest with myself, I know we're not." . . . "I think that if we went to our Democratic colleagues today and said, 'Okay, you win. We're going to spend 25% more on defense, and we'll spend 25% more on nondefense. Let's vote.' Every single Democrat will vote no. Every single Democrat will vote no in the Appropriations Committee and on the floor of this Senate. If I'm wrong, I'll apologize. I may be wrong, but I doubt it because my colleague, Senator [Chuck] Schumer - as is his right - is telling the Democrats not to agree to a budget. "And Senator Schumer, as is his right, is taking his orders from the Graham Platner wing of the Democratic Party. It is not all Democrats, but clearly the Graham Platner wing is in control of the Democratic Party, and many members of Democratic leadership are scared to death of them. And they're going to do what the Graham Platner wing wants, which is to burn it down. They want chaos because they think it will help them win the midterm elections. And for that reason, I don't think we're going to have a budget." . . . "In my opinion, it is totally irresponsible - in order to win a midterm election - to create that kind of chaos in this dangerous world. That, to me, is living proof that human evolution is a slow process. The American people deserve better. "And if I'm wrong, I will come to this floor and say, 'I was wrong. My Democratic colleagues are willing to negotiate. They don't have a predetermined game plan. They're not slaves to the loon wing of their party. They understand that the American people, both domestically and internationally, need help.' I will be the first to say I'm wrong. And I may be wrong, but I doubt it. The American people deserve better. And if I am wrong, I hope they'll prove me wrong." Watch Kennedy's speech here .

View original source →

Kennedy explains why Congress is unlikely to pass new budgets: “Every single Democrat will vote no” Watch Kennedy's comments here . WASHINGTON - Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) explained why he believes Senate Democrats will refuse to pass a new budget in favor of another government shutdown before the midterm elections in a speech on the U.S. Senate floor. Key excerpts of the speech are below: "I do not want America to be the world's policeman. But I don't want Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin and the Ayatollah in Iran to be, either. We have to meet this challenge. To do that, we have to spend more money on defense. I wish we didn't, but we do. "Now, there are only three ways to do that, as you know, Mr. President: Through our budget, the regular appropriation process, through what's called a supplemental bill, which deals just with defense spending, and through the process of reconciliation. . . . We have the option of reconciliation, but time is running out. And I hear all the happy talk - I don't mean that, really, in a pejorative sense, though it came out that way - I hear all the happy talk in the House, and I participate in that happy talk, saying, we need to do a third reconciliation bill. But if I'm honest with myself, I know we're not." . . . "I think that if we went to our Democratic colleagues today and said, 'Okay, you win. We're going to spend 25% more on defense, and we'll spend 25% more on nondefense. Let's vote.' Every single Democrat will vote no. Every single Democrat will vote no in the Appropriations Committee and on the floor of this Senate. If I'm wrong, I'll apologize. I may be wrong, but I doubt it because my colleague, Senator [Chuck] Schumer - as is his right - is telling the Democrats not to agree to a budget. "And Senator Schumer, as is his right, is taking his orders from the Graham Platner wing of the Democratic Party. It is not all Democrats, but clearly the Graham Platner wing is in control of the Democratic Party, and many members of Democratic leadership are scared to death of them. And they're going to do what the Graham Platner wing wants, which is to burn it down. They want chaos because they think it will help them win the midterm elections. And for that reason, I don't think we're going to have a budget." . . . "In my opinion, it is totally irresponsible - in order to win a midterm election - to create that kind of chaos in this dangerous world. That, to me, is living proof that human evolution is a slow process. The American people deserve better. "And if I'm wrong, I will come to this floor and say, 'I was wrong. My Democratic colleagues are willing to negotiate. They don't have a predetermined game plan. They're not slaves to the loon wing of their party. They understand that the American people, both domestically and internationally, need help.' I will be the first to say I'm wrong. And I may be wrong, but I doubt it. The American people deserve better. And if I am wrong, I hope they'll prove me wrong." Watch Kennedy's speech here .