Thune: Congress Has Opportunities to Deliver More if Democrats Are Willing to Work

Click here to watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today spoke at a press conference with Senate Republican leadership: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Good afternoon, everyone. “We have a big, I would say, but limited opportunity to get some things done here over the course of the next several weeks and, I would say, starting with the Clarity Act, which we’re going to vote on this afternoon. “It’ll be a procedural vote, and we’ll find out if Democrats actually want to pass this legislation and whether or not they’re willing to take yes for an answer. “Because our members who’ve been negotiating this – Chairman Scott, Chairman Boozman, Senator Lummis, others – have been very involved now, literally for months, in trying to come up with legislation that would address the Democrat concerns. “And they have made myriad, I would say, concessions to the Democrats – I think 126 different changes to this legislation since it was first introduced – trying to accommodate some of the Democrat concerns. “So this is, it’s time to vote. “It’s time to put up or shut up. “And so this afternoon we’re going to have that vote. “And then, I would say, on the Protect College Sports Act, that will follow after, depending how the Clarity vote goes, but that’s also legislation that has had a lot of work put into it over the past several months, and I think most people acknowledge that the current landscape in college sports is a mess. It needs to be addressed. “Chairman Cruz and others have worked diligently, Senator Schmitt, coming up with a product that I think is a vast improvement, and of course worked with Democrats as well on trying to get that in a form that we could move it across the floor. “So we will see if there are 60 votes on a procedural vote on that issue as well. “And I would also add to that list, permitting reform. “Senator Capito and her team have been working with the Democrats, and we’ll find out soon whether or not we can. “That is also something that has, I think, broad bipartisan support, and she’s done a great job of negotiating those issues. “And I’m hopeful, frankly, that we could get that up on the floor and voted on, because I think that is an important and consequential piece of legislation that’s really important to our country’s economy. “And then finally, I would say something that’s really important in farm country is the farm bill, and there’s going to be hopefully committee action on that this week as well. “And so those are all issues that are sort of hovering out there right now, in addition to some of the nominations that we’ll deal with, both on the judicial and the executive calendars as well. “But my hope would be that this can be a productive few weeks here – and it’s going to depend largely, I think, on whether or not the Democrats want to play ball, whether they want to get some things done, or whether they want to play politics. “And we’ll find that out soon enough.”