Rushmore State News

U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) addressed the press alongside Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, urging the Senate to pass a short-term funding bill to reopen the federal government.

Thune emphasized that a majority of senators have already supported the measure. "We have an opportunity to pick up a House-passed bill that, if it passes the Senate, will be sent to the White House, the president will sign it, and the government will reopen," Thune said. He added, "It’s that simple and that straightforward, and that’s all we’re talking about here."

He noted bipartisan support for what he described as a clean continuing resolution (CR). "We have a majority of senators – 55 senators have already voted for this clean, short-term, nonpartisan CR," Thune stated. He stressed there were no policy riders or partisan benefits in the proposal: "This is a straight-up seven-week funding resolution, and we need it to keep the government open."

Thune criticized Senate Democrats for not supporting similar measures now compared to previous years. "As recently as the last administration...the Democrats, on 13 different occasions, voted for this, a short-term continuing resolution," he said. Thune questioned what had changed and argued that current opposition was politically motivated.

He pointed out that legislative work such as defense authorization and appropriations bills are stalled due to the shutdown. Thune claimed these delays affect both parties: "We have people in the Senate, both Republicans and Democrats...because they haven’t had a chance to be heard in the appropriations process for a really long time."

Thune also referenced broader impacts of ongoing negotiations: "When Chuck Schumer ran the Senate, we didn’t do appropriations bills...He wrote it behind closed doors in his office." He advocated for more transparency: "We are opening this process up...an appropriations process that allows us to fund the government the old-fashioned way, in the light of day."

The senator concluded by emphasizing public interest over political maneuvering: "They have taken hostage the federal government, and by extension, the American people...This is about [doing what’s] in the best interest of the American people."