Chairman Tom Cole has addressed ongoing appropriations negotiations and the demands of Democrat leadership, emphasizing his commitment to preventing a government shutdown. In a statement, Cole asserted that funding the federal government is both a constitutional obligation and a shared duty.
"My chair hasn’t moved—I remain at the negotiating table," said Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK). He expressed that a government shutdown is unacceptable and highlighted the efforts of Republicans to secure a deal on full-year appropriations. With the deadline approaching, Cole stated that every effort is being made to prevent a lapse in funding. This includes pursuing both a stopgap measure for immediate certainty and continuing negotiations for a full-year appropriations agreement.
Cole noted that reaching an agreement on funding levels is not currently an obstacle. Instead, he pointed out that Democrat leadership's focus on restricting presidential authority is hindering progress. "It’s a non-starter and battle they lost to the American people," he said. Despite this challenge, Cole emphasized that Republicans have put forward serious proposals reflecting fiscal responsibility and bipartisan goals.
He criticized some Democrats for potentially risking or leveraging a shutdown rather than working sincerely towards a solution. Reaffirming his dedication to cooperation, Cole stated, "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."
