Thune: Senate Democrats Inexplicably Filibuster Bipartisan Stablecoin Bill
“[I]f Democrats were interested in further changes, as they claim, they would have had the chance to make those changes on the floor, if they had voted for cloture.”
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WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor:
Thune’s remarks below (as delivered):
“Mr. President, let me just say that Democrats have just used the filibuster for the fourth time this year.
“Why?
“Well, in this case, no one really knows.
“This is a bipartisan issue.
“It’s a bipartisan bill.
“And it had a bipartisan process from the very beginning.
“And if Democrats were interested in further changes, as they claim, they would have had the chance to make those changes on the floor – all they had to do was vote for cloture.
“Not every bill that comes to the floor is a final bill.
“Now, that may be how it worked when they were in control.
“But Republicans are doing it differently.
“We’re determined to restore the Senate to what it was meant to be.
“The floor is where every senator gets a chance to give his or her input on legislation.
“That’s what would have happened today if cloture had been invoked.
“The motion that Democrats just voted against.
“It would’ve meant open debate.
“Further deliberations.
“Further modifications.
“But Democrats refused to even begin that debate.
“Mr. President, I don’t know what Democrats would change about the process this bill has gone through.
“It had a three-hour markup in the Banking Committee that considered 40 amendments.
“That’s what we used to call ‘regular order’ around here.
“It was reported out of the Banking Committee by a vote of 18 to 6, with five Democrats supporting the bill.
“And since the markup, senators have been meeting non-stop to modify the bill.
“On both sides of the aisle.
“Democrats and Republicans.
“Countless meetings.
“In fact, there have been fully six versions of this bill, Mr. President, and numerous modifications made, many of them to satisfy the Democrats’ demands.
“Six versions of this bill.
“Based on feedback and input from members on both sides – and in many cases, modifications made that were done in response to demands made by Democrats on the bill.
“Six versions.
“I don’t know how you can have any more process than that.
“Democrats have been accommodated every step of the way – up to and including long sessions yesterday and late into the night last night.
“So, Mr. President, I just have to say, frankly, I just don’t get it.
“I don’t know what more they want.
“I don’t know why you vote against proceeding to a bill on the floor after you voted to refer that same bill to the floor – as a number of Democrats, as I just said, did, coming out of the Banking Committee.
“Which of course makes you wonder if this is about the bill at all – or if it’s simply Democrats obstructing because they want to deny Republicans, or President Trump, a bipartisan win.
“Now, given the fact that Democrats keep moving the goal posts, it’s hard not to suspect that that is the case.
“And I have to say, Mr. President, that that is deeply disappointing.
“I strongly support this bill.
“But I have changed my vote to ‘No’ today so that we can bring this legislation up again if and when Democrats are ready to get serious.
“Clearly, today, they are not.”
Related Issues: Filibuster, Cryptocurrency
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