Why aren’t Democrats completing appropriations bills?
· Two words: Republican obstructionism. · Each senator has the power to virtually shut down the Senate, and Republican Senators have repeatedly filibustered routine measures, like motions to proceed, merely to obstruct and delay. Their political strategy apparently is: “filibuster and blame Democrats.” · Given Republican obstructionism and the need to address other priorities, like reducing college costs and expanding children’s access to health care, debate on some appropriations bills has been somewhat delayed, but we have approved appropriations for homeland security and are planning to take up the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill immediately after the recess. · Republican complaints about appropriations delays are not just political, they’re hypocritical: during the last five years of Republican rule, they averaged adoption of fewer than two appropriations bills before the beginning of the fiscal year. Last year, they failed to approve a single domesti
