Oct. 4 (UPI) — As the threat of another government shutdown looms next month with a dozen spending bills yet to vote on, 20 Republican senators vowed Wednesday to block any legislation that does not relate to funding the government.
Sen. Rick Scott of Florida warned Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., in a letter signed by the GOP lawmakers, that they will not support any non-appropriations bills on the Senate floor until the government is funded.
“Just 44 days remain until government funding once again expires on Nov. 17th. There is no more important work for the Senate during this time than debating, amending and passing appropriations bills without resorting to a giant package dumped on the conference right before the December holiday,” Scott wrote.
Scott accused Schumer of “adjourning the Senate so he can visit Communist China and push America closer to another inflation-bomb omnibus bill,” in a post on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
The Senate is expected to recess for a state work period, starting Thursday and ending on Monday, Oct. 16.
“We passed a continuing resolution to give us time to work on spending bills that bring back fiscal sanity and accountability in Washington,” Scott added. “We should stay HERE and WORK!”
.@SenSchumer is adjourning the Senate so he can visit Communist China & push America closer to another inflation-bomb omnibus bill.
We passed a CR to give us time to work on spending bills that bring back fiscal sanity & accountability in Washington. We should stay HERE & WORK! pic.twitter.com/fiRINI4wQ0— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) October 4, 2023
In addition to Scott, the letter is signed by Sens. John Thune, John Barrasso, Joni Ernst, Shelley Moore Capito, Mike Braun, Katie Britt, Ted Budd, John Cornyn, Ted Cruz, Kevin Cramer, Cindy Hyde-Smith, Ron Johnson, Mike Lee, Cynthia Lummis, Roger Marshall, Eric Schmitt, Thom Tillis, Tommy Tuberville and Roger Wicker.
The senators called on Schumer to “present a plan to the Republican Conference for how you intend to pass the remaining appropriations bills and conference them with the House in a manner that respects an open amendment process and which does not end in a December omnibus spending package.”
“Since 1977, Congress has only successfully completed its appropriations work of taking up, debating, amending if necessary, and passing all appropriations bills prior to the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30th four times,” Scott wrote.
“This is unacceptable. The American people deserve better.”
