Senate Democrats on Wednesday blocked the funding bills meant to keep the federal government running after October 1. U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe is hot about it.
Inhofe is concerned about the military and infrastructure funding. He feels the Democrats walked away from the bipartisan budget deal reached before Congress took its break in August.
“Less than two short months ago, the Senate overwhelmingly passed a bipartisan budget deal that set topline funding levels for the federal government. Yet, today, Senate Democrats won’t vote for funding that backs up these levels. Rather than fund our national defense and support our troops, they want to play politics, but we simply can’t afford to delay critical national security investments. The Democrats’ obstruction today pulls us closer to a potential continuing resolution, something our military leaders have told us time and time again is detrimental to the men and women who wear the uniform and our overall military readiness,” said Inhofe.
Inhofe also outlined that critical infrastructure, military and education projects in Oklahoma could be left unfunded if Congress doesn’t get its act together. Those projects include funding for the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System (MKARNS) which has been shut down due to severe flooding earlier this year.
“Additionally, the funding bills voted on today contain multiple provisions that would benefit defense and infrastructure projects in Oklahoma. It is irresponsible for Democrats to hold this bill hostage to their liberal agenda at the expense of projects that would benefit military families, including Impact Aid that supports local school districts and modernize critical inland waterways infrastructure, like the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System.”
The House is preparing continuing resolutions as the stalemate threatens a government shutdown, but even that action is facing hurdles.
