House GOP's CR to Avert Government Shutdown: Rep. Tom Cole's Floor Debate

Support for HR 1968: Full-Year Continuing Appropriations

• 🏛️ Representative Tom Cole rises to support HR 1968, the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act of 2025, aiming to keep the government funded.
• ⚠️ The bill addresses the critical juncture where government funding expires at midnight on Friday, presenting a clear choice between funding the government or shutting it down.
• 🗓️ This is the third continuing resolution (CR) for fiscal year 2025, following two short-term measures that maintained the status quo.

Rationale for Supporting the CR

• 🤝 Cole emphasizes that this bill is similar to the December CR, with no policy differences or "poison pills," making it a straightforward vote to keep the government operational.
• 📊 He notes that while the Appropriations Committee completed its work, an agreement on full-year bills was not reached due to additional demands from the minority party.
• ⚖️ These demands are characterized as restrictions on the executive authority that would not be accepted for a Democratic president or signed by President Trump.

Addressing Opposition and Misinformation

• 😠 The minority's opposition is attributed to allowing political judgment to be clouded by opposition to the president, described as a "political temper tantrum."
• 🚫 The bill is explicitly stated to be a "clean CR" with no policy riders, fully funding the government including military and defense needs.
• 💰 A significant achievement highlighted is the largest pay raise for junior enlisted personnel in over 40 years.

Funding for Critical Government Functions

• 🛠️ Funding is maintained for essential government operations such as border defense, roads, parks, childcare, water infrastructure, biomedical research, and job training.
• 🛡️ Cole directly addresses and refutes "fear-mongering" regarding Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, confirming that the bill makes no changes to these programs and they will remain intact and funded.

The Choice: Fund or Shut Down

• ✅ The primary argument is that passing this bill is significantly better than the alternative of a government shutdown.
• 🗳️ Cole urges colleagues to vote for the bill to keep the government open and operating, reflecting the expectations of their constituents.