Finding a responsible way to fund our government

This weekend, Congress narrowly avoided a government shutdown. After a turbulent week, the House of Representatives passed a short-term bipartisan spending bill. The Senate approved the bill hours before the deadline of Oct. 1.

From 2005 to 2013, I served as a member of the Nebraska legislature. During that time, we ran into a major budget shortfall. All of us in the Unicameral worked together and compromised to find solutions to that fiscal crisis. We were legislators, so we legislated. In the end, we made tough decisions and funded government in Nebraska.

As your senator, I'm committed to working hard to ensure that we get our job done here in Washington, D.C., and fund the U.S. government. That's why I voted in favor of this weekend's bill that gives Congress more time to work through the regular appropriations process without a government shutdown.

The negotiations we're having in Washington are important. But political fights shouldn't hurt the average American by shutting down access to vital government services, or forcing our military and border patrol agents to work without pay. In Congress, we need to make tough decisions to ensure that our government stays funded for the long term.

Instead of going on TV or Twitter to fight, my priority is working with my colleagues to find real solutions. We need to do more than just keep the government open - we also need to address our overwhelming $33 trillion national debt. Our debt keeps climbing, putting our children's futures in jeopardy. More than that, it's putting our national security in jeopardy.

As a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I take our national defense extremely seriously. The United States is facing two peer nuclear adversaries, China and Russia, for the first time in history - so now is not the time to shut down operations. By shutting down our government, we are projecting weakness to our adversaries. The national debt is already threatening our national and economic security, but a government shutdown would exacerbate those issues.

That's one reason I cosponsored the Pay Our Military Act last week. This bill, led by Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), ensures that members of our military branches - Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, Coast Guard, and Space Force - will be paid in the event of a government shutdown during Fiscal Year 2024. Our dedicated military men and women shouldn't miss a paycheck because of political fights in Washington. Congress needs to take action to protect this nation's military readiness and make sure members of our Armed Forces receive the pay they have rightfully earned.

Congress will have to make some tough decisions as we near the new deadline of November 17. It's vital that we address the crisis at our southern border and limit our spending to what needs to be addressed. But if we are ever going to seriously address our nation's financial crisis, Members of Congress must work together on responsible policies.

Governing by crisis management may be popular here in Washington, but it hurts the people of this country - and it's not the Nebraska way. Instead, I want our work in Congress to be marked by transparency and accountability to the American people. Over the next few weeks, I'll continue working with my colleagues on a reasonable and responsible spending plan that supports families and addresses the important issues facing our nation.

Thank you for participating in the democratic process. I look forward to visiting with you again next week.