mr. mcconnell: mr. president? the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. mcconnell: the democratic leader has mentioned a variety of issues, all of which were being discussed over the last two months, in the hopes that we could reach an agreement to address them all. so now i gather he's saying he opposes the bill because it doesn't have everything we've been talking about in it even though the things that are in the bill he does like. so the complaint now is it doesn't have the other issues in it. the reason is doesn't is because we haven't been able to reach a global agreement on how much we're going to spend. these talks have been going on endless i.ly. many of you have been not been involved in it. we're exhausted. everything what the democratic leader has mentioned. why do they never let us reach an agreement? illegal immigration. that's what they've shoehorned into all of this, shoehorned that issue right into it, and said we won't solve any of this other stuff until we...

eld the oor. mr. mcconnell: madam president, i'd -- not to prolong the debate, but the presidency under our system of government is not irrelevant. he is the person to science the law. most of us on the republican side in the house and senate were interested in what his views are and those have not been made fully apparent yet. when we have before us -- what we have before us deals with a real emergency. tomorrow night at midnight. what our friends on the other side are pushing is not an emergency. doesn't have anything to do with what's before us, completely irrelevant. -- to the issue of. mr. reed:ing a -- to the issue of avoid ago government shutdown and taking care of 300 million americans most of whom depend on the government in one way oar another. mr. mcconnell: i understand the senate has received a message from the house to accompany h.r. 195. the presiding officer: the senator is correct. mr. mcconnell: move the chair lay before the senate the message and ask for the yeas...

1907 to amendment numbered 1906. the presiding officer: the democrat leader. mr. schumer: mr. president, to delay a vote on cloture when we all know the outcome makes no sense. the government's funding expires tomorrow night at midnight. let us vote tonight on cloture so we can move forward, so perhaps we can bring the president to the table. if not, so we can undergo serious negotiations to get things done. you have just heard from the pentagon. the pentagon thinks this c.r. is wrong for our military. the statement, again, from dana white, chief pentagon spokesperson. i want to repeat it so my colleagues can all hear it. we have been working under a continuing resolution for three years now. our current c.r. expires tomorrow, january 19. this is wasteful and destructive. we need a fully funded fiscal year 2018 budget or face ramifications for our military. because of the urgent needs we face, the military and so many of the others, opioids, veterans, pensions, we should not delay any...

i yield the floor. mr. mcconnell: mr. president. the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. mcconnell: this isn't terribly complicated. we have been in discussions for a couple of months on all of the issues that are urgent. the funding of the government, the children's health insurance program, and other matters that we all know need to be dealt with. my good friend, the democratic leader, is saying we have had too many continuing resolutions but suggests we pass yet another one. and the bill that's before us that we just voted to proceed to i believe enjoys the support, every element of it enjoys the support of almost everybody on both sides of the aisle. so it's appropriate to ask the question why are we where we are? only one reason. the continued interjection of an issue about which there is no urgency into a discussion about how to deal with a potpourri of issues that do need to be urgently met. and that's the issue of illegal immigration. so what our friends on the...

that further proceedings under the quorum call be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: madam president, the house has sent us a bill that would be an easy yes vote for every senator in this chamber -- an easy yes vote. this bill continues government funding, prevents a needless shut down, and extends a key health insurance program for vulnerable children for six years. its content is bipartisan. there are no provisions that any of my democratic friends oppose. it's a simple step that will let us continue bipartisan talks without throwing the government into disarray for no reason -- no reason. americans are surprised this is even a debate. i don't blame tm. i share their surprise. that some democratic senators see the prospect of a government shut down for more than 300 million americans, to see a possible lapse in health coverage for nine million vulnerable american kids, and are tempted to hold all of that hostage -- all of that hostage -- until...

back to work. the presiding officer: the democratic leader. mr. schumer: i will have more to say after this vote on the motion to proceed which democrats will support, because we want to move forward. we want to get something done. we don't want to keep kicking the can down the road. but i just had to answer the leader briefly. the leader is looking to deflect blame, but it just won't work. we all know what the problem is. it's complete disaray on the republican side. the bottom line is very simple -- our leader, our republican leader, has said that he will not negotiate until he knows where president trump stands. that's why negotiations haven't gotten anywhere. let me quote him. here's what the leader said just yesterday. i'm looking for something that president trump is going to support. and he has not yet indicated what measure he's willing to sign. he said, mitch mcconnell did, that he still has to, quote, figure out what the president is for. how can you negotiate when...

i yield the floor. mr. schumer: madam president? the presiding officer: the democratic leader. mr. schumerjust a brief rejoinedder. first, there have been very good attempts, bipartisan attempts, to solve this problem. three democrats, three republicans met the problem right in the middle. it was the other side, your side, leader, that didn't want to go along with that agreement. it's a fair and decent agreement where each side gave. and it's an important agreement. and it's a vital agreement. and no one -- no one, no one -- has figured out a way to pass a bill independently in february. any vote, any bill that might get a majority of the republicans in the house on this issue will not get democrats. and any bill that gets a majority of democrats will not get a majority of the republican side in the house and will not be put on the floor. so this is the way to go on this issue. but there are many other issues out here, too. make no mistake about it. opioids-- our national death rate...