Cole Statement on Funding Negotiations, Democrat Leadership Demands

Washington, D.C. – Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) issued the below statement on appropriations negotiations and Democrat leadership demands unrelated to funding levels:
 
Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) said, “Funding the federal government is a constitutional obligation and shared duty. My chair hasn’t moved—I remain at the negotiating table. A government shutdown is unacceptable, and Republicans have continually worked in earnest to deliver a deal on full-year appropriations. Given the deadline before us, we are pursuing every pathway to ensure a lapse in funding never occurs. This two-track strategy includes both a focus on a stopgap to provide certainty while negotiations on a full-year appropriations deal continue. We are at a point in the process where a topline number is not the roadblock. Democrat leadership remains laser-focused on restricting presidential authority. It’s a non-starter and battle they lost to the American people. We’ve been clear of that in every outreach and put forward serious proposals that can become law, reflecting both fiscal responsibility and bipartisan objectives. Unfortunately, it seems some Democrats would rather risk and leverage a shutdown than work in sincerity to reach a feasible solution. I will strongly reiterate: I remain fully committed to driving bipartisan cooperation to pass a continuing resolution that prevents a shutdown and to finalizing an agreement on FY25 funding.”

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