Floor SpeechBipartisan2025-03-04

DISASTROUS IMPLICATIONS OF A YEARLONG CR

EconomyEnvironmentForeign PolicyDefenseUkraineChinaHousing

Context

On 2025-03-04, Representative Gilbert Ray Cisneros, Jr. (D-CA-31) delivered a floor speech titled "DISASTROUS IMPLICATIONS OF A YEARLONG CR" in the House. The speech addressed the economy and also covered the environment, foreign policy.

Full Text

DISASTROUS IMPLICATIONS OF A YEARLONG CR

Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 41 (Tuesday, March 4, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 41 (Tuesday, March 4, 2025)] [House] [Page H952] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] DISASTROUS IMPLICATIONS OF A YEARLONG CR The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. Cisneros) for 5 minutes. Mr. CISNEROS. Mr. Speaker, Republican leadership has called for a yearlong continuing resolution ahead of next week's government funding deadline. That is a horrible idea. To be clear, the government funding bill should have been completed last year, but House Republicans made the political decision to punt it to this year because my colleagues wanted to wait for President Trump to move into the White House. Mr. Speaker, House Republicans got what the majority wanted but still haven't been able to pass any new funding because their party refuses to accept the responsibility of governing. That is what has led us to this yearlong CR. Both the President and the Speaker have called for a ``clean'' CR, but neither of them can articulate what that means. Not only is Republican leadership struggling to say what my Republican colleagues want to see in it, but a yearlong CR would negatively impact our economy. A yearlong CR creates economic uncertainty and job insecurity because it prevents Federal agencies from making new hires and starting new programs. It delays contracts and applications for grants, which reduce the level of services agencies provide while also increasing costs. It reduces funding for nearly every Federal program that America relies on, such as VA medical care and food assistance programs. Donald Trump and shadow president Musk have already thrown hundreds of thousands of public employees in limbo. A CR would only exacerbate that uncertainty and endanger their livelihoods. Mr. Speaker, that is not the only disastrous implication of a yearlong CR. A yearlong CR would undermine our military readiness and our national security. The Department of Defense would have to slow recruiting efforts and delay servicemember moves, throwing our military families into limbo, not to mention it would potentially negate the 14.5 percent pay raise for junior-enlisted servicemembers, delay military housing projects, and undercut initiatives to improve servicemember quality of life and mental health. Also, since a yearlong CR would not account for inflation, thousands of DOD programs would see cuts. That includes programs that deal with nuclear triad modernization, shipbuilding and ship maintenance, munitions production and replenishment, and U.S. priorities in the Indo-Pacific. Ultimately, a yearlong CR would force too much uncertainty and stress on our servicemembers and their families, and it would impede our ability to react to national security threats. Even some of my Republican colleagues agree with me on this point. One Republican colleague has said: ``A continuing resolution, CR, is bad for our military and weakens our national security. A CR means new weapons programs cannot get started.'' Shipbuilding will be delayed. ``A yearlong CR means we are not serious about building a military that will deter China, Russia, and Iran.'' The White House may be out of touch with reality when it comes to Ukraine and supporting our allies abroad, but their fealty to Vladimir Putin doesn't mean the United States can resign its role in standing for Ukraine and democracies around the world. Washington Republicans need to get it together. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle control the White House and Congress. If we have a government shutdown, it falls on the majority and their inability to govern. ____________________

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DISASTROUS IMPLICATIONS OF A YEARLONG CR Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 41 (Tuesday, March 4, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 41 (Tuesday, March 4, 2025)] [House] [Page H952] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] DISASTROUS IMPLICATIONS OF A YEARLONG CR The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. Cisneros) for 5 minutes. Mr. CISNEROS. Mr. Speaker, Republican leadership has called for a yearlong continuing resolution ahead of next week's government funding deadline. That is a horrible idea. To be clear, the government funding bill should have been completed last year, but House Republicans made the political decision to punt it to this year because my colleagues wanted to wait for President Trump to move into the White House. Mr. Speaker, House Republicans got what the majority wanted but still haven't been able to pass any new funding because their party refuses to accept the responsibility of governing. That is what has led us to this yearlong CR. Both the President and the Speaker have called for a ``clean'' CR, but neither of them can articulate what that means. Not only is Republican leadership struggling to say what my Republican colleagues want to see in it, but a yearlong CR would negatively impact our economy. A yearlong CR creates economic uncertainty and job insecurity because it prevents Federal agencies from making new hires and starting new programs. It delays contracts and applications for grants, which reduce the level of services agencies provide while also increasing costs. It reduces funding for nearly every Federal program that America relies on, such as VA medical care and food assistance programs. Donald Trump and shadow president Musk have already thrown hundreds of thousands of public employees in limbo. A CR would only exacerbate that uncertainty and endanger their livelihoods. Mr. Speaker, that is not the only disastrous implication of a yearlong CR. A yearlong CR would undermine our military readiness and our national security. The Department of Defense would have to slow recruiting efforts and delay servicemember moves, throwing our military families into limbo, not to mention it would potentially negate the 14.5 percent pay raise for junior-enlisted servicemembers, delay military housing projects, and undercut initiatives to improve servicemember quality of life and mental health. Also, since a yearlong CR would not account for inflation, thousands of DOD programs would see cuts. That includes programs that deal with nuclear triad modernization, shipbuilding and ship maintenance, munitions production and replenishment, and U.S. priorities in the Indo-Pacific. Ultimately, a yearlong CR would force too much uncertainty and stress on our servicemembers and their families, and it would impede our ability to react to national security threats. Even some of my Republican colleagues agree with me on this point. One Republican colleague has said: ``A continuing resolution, CR, is bad for our military and weakens our national security. A CR means new weapons programs cannot get started.'' Shipbuilding will be delayed. ``A yearlong CR means we are not serious about building a military that will deter China, Russia, and Iran.'' The White House may be out of touch with reality when it comes to Ukraine and supporting our allies abroad, but their fealty to Vladimir Putin doesn't mean the United States can resign its role in standing for Ukraine and democracies around the world. Washington Republicans need to get it together. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle control the White House and Congress. If we have a government shutdown, it falls on the majority and their inability to govern. ____________________