VIDEO: Ricketts: “Unlike Nancy Pelosi, I’m Not Going to Vote to Pass Something Just to See What’s in It”
September 27, 2023
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) slammed Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) for contributing to a government shutdown faceoff. Ricketts made the comments while on a conference call with Nebraska media.
“Schumer has squeezed the calendar to force his and Joe Biden’s plan to spend trillions of dollars we don’t have,” Ricketts said. “For example, last night, Schumer gave Senators 40 minutes – just 40 minutes – to read through and analyze a 79-page bill to continue government funding before the first vote on it. Unlike Nancy Pelosi, I’m not going to vote to pass something just to see what’s in it. Nebraskans deserve better than that. The bill the Senate is considering now ultimately does nothing to address our wasteful overspending. It also keeps federal government spending at Biden levels.
“Chuck Schumer is forcing a vote with the false choice between a bloated and wasteful omnibus bill or a government shutdown,” Ricketts continued. “It’s wrong. It’s manipulative. And I won’t stand for it.”
Ricketts also called for regular order, criticizing Schumer for his delay in bringing appropriations bills to the Senate floor.
“The Senate Appropriations Committee passed all 12 appropriations bills on bipartisan votes in June and July,” Ricketts said. “For nearly two months since then, Democrat Senator Chuck Schumer, who serves as Majority Leader, could have brought these bills up for votes on the Senate floor. We could have debated them, amended them, and ultimately passed final versions. Democrat Chuck Schumer chose not to do that. Instead, he’s played games and created this shutdown faceoff.”
Watch the video HERE.
TRANSCRIPT:
Senator Ricketts: “This week, Congress is debating legislation to fund the government.
“We need to get our spending under control. But it’s important to note how we got here.
“Reckless big government spending has left us a national debt over 33 trillion dollars. 33 trillion.
“That’s over $251,000 per household.
“This crippling debt has real consequences. It leads to higher consumer costs and interest rates.
“It slows economic growth. It stifles opportunities for American families.
“With stubbornly high inflation, families across the country – including those on fixed incomes – are tightening their belts to stretch their budgets.
“Congress has a duty to do the same.
“We need to fund our national defense and what’s needed to ensure our national security.
“We need to fund essential government services.
“What we don’t need to do is keep throwing money around on partisan causes or unnecessary and wasteful spending.
“The time to have important conversations about how to do all of that is during government funding bills.
“Now, there is a process to do that without coming to the brink of a government shutdown.
“Congress must pass 12 appropriations bills by September 30th to avoid a government shutdown.
“The Senate Appropriations Committee passed all 12 appropriations bills on bipartisan votes in June and July.
“For nearly two months since then, Democrat Senator Chuck Schumer, who serves as Majority Leader, could have brought these bills up for votes on the Senate Floor.
“We could have debated them, amended them, and ultimately passed final versions.
“Democrat Chuck Schumer chose not to do that. Instead, he’s played games and created this shutdown faceoff.
“Schumer has squeezed the calendar to force his and Joe Biden’s plan to spend trillions of dollars we don’t have.
“For example, last night, Schumer gave Senators 40 minutes – just 40 minutes – to read through and analyze a 79-page bill to continue government funding before the first vote on it.
“Unlike Nancy Pelosi, I’m not going to vote to pass something just to see what’s in it.
“Nebraskans deserve better.
“The bill the Senate is considering now ultimately does nothing to address our wasteful overspending.
“It also keeps federal government spending at Biden levels.
“Chuck Schumer is forcing a vote with the false choice between a bloated and wasteful omnibus bill or a government shutdown.
“It’s wrong. It’s manipulative. And I won’t stand for it.
“We cannot keep giving Democrats a blank check to spend American tax dollars however they want.
“During my time as Governor, we kept the size and scope of government small.
“It wasn’t always easy, and it often required tough conversations, but our state was better off for it.
“We empowered people. We ran government more like a business.
“These common-sense ideas enabled us to provide $12.7 billion in tax relief. We invested in infrastructure like roads and broadband and improved the level of service to families in need.
“In Nebraska we kept the growth of government spending at 2.8% per year on average.
The federal government – in just the four years from 2019 to 2023 – has grown its budget by 40% according to the CATO Institute.
“Our federal government must be effective and efficient, not bigger and worse.
“In Nebraska, we proved its possible. Bringing that success to Washington was a big reason why I wanted to serve as Senator.
“I will continue fighting to get our fiscal house in order to make sure we can continue to provide the essential services Americans expect and deserve from the federal government.”