WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) delivered a speech on the U.S. Senate floor blasting Senate Democrats for undermining the Senate’s standard operating procedure to slow walk President Donald Trump’s nominees.
“Americans want Congress to work,” said Dr. Cassidy. “But the reason they have so low expectations is because of days like today.”
Cassidy’s remarks as prepared for delivery are below:
Mr. President,
Americans want Congress to work. They desperately want this place to work.
But the reason they have so low expectations is because of days like today.
Are Democrats proud of this? Is this what they think their constituents want?
Go back to any of our states, and talk to normal people—Democrat and Republican—they’d probably agree they wish this place worked better.
So why do Democrats seem intent on undermining the normal operating procedure of the Senate—frankly, grinding us to a halt?
Who’s asking them to do this? Again, go to their states and ask Democratic voters “do you wish Congress did a worse job? Do you wish they were less effective?”
If you’d be too embarrassed to ask your own constituent that question, then you should be embarrassed right now.
We are seven months into President Trump’s administration, and Democrats have done everything can think of to undermine Republicans’ ability to run the country—therefore, undermining the country itself.
We know that this is a partisan Congress, but this is taking partisanship to the next level.
We’re speaking about unanimous consent on non-controversial nominees—something that has been consistent for presidents of both parties for decades.
Look at each of these presidents. They had a unanimous consent or voice vote on the majority of their nominees, whether or not the Senate was controlled by Democrats or Republicans.
And I know Democrats are blinded by their dislike of President Trump, but look at his first term.
Democrats agreed to confirm 65% of his nominees through unanimous consent or voice vote.
Why? Because that’s how this chamber has always functioned when it came to low-level, non-controversial nominees. The people we’re voting on are Americans who are frankly just looking to serve our country—they’re the employees who make government work.
We’re not talking about cabinet-level people you may have an ideological difference with.
Under the first administration, Democrats seemed to get that fact. They understood that was the case 65% of the time.
Many of my colleagues were here. What changed other than your dislike for President Trump?
Roy Blunt used to say that whatever happens in one Congress is going to happen in the next.
Democrats are not just shattering precedents; they are creating a new one.
They are establishing the pattern where, next time they are in power, they should expect the same amount of gridlock.
Again, who in their right mind wants that? Not the Americans I speak to who want this place to work.
But we all know that’s the effect here. We know that.
I have no doubt there are people in the Democratic caucus and people in the most extreme corners of their party who love the buzzword “resistance.”
Resistance at all cost—give me a break.
They don’t give a damn about this institution, and I would argue about the country.
Let me repeat: Americans just want this place to work, and they would be embarrassed by how we’re operating here today.
This is embarrassing that Democrats are willing to balk the overwhelming majority of Americans, break precedents, undermine the Senate, and undermine our country all in the name of “resistance.”
In November, the American People sent the Democratic Party a clear message that Democrats need to reevaluated their priorities.
Ten months later, it’s clear they still haven’t gotten the message.
With that, I yield.
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