HARTFORD — Today, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), along with the full Senate Democratic Caucus, urged Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to schedule the first round of bipartisan budget negotiations immediately to prevent another totally predictable and completely preventable fiscal crisis in the Fall. The call was formally made in a letter to Leader McConnell signed by all 46 members of the Senate Democratic Caucus.

“Inaction and failure to responsibly restore sequester-level cuts in FY16 appropriations bills will have real consequences for our country,” wrote the Senators. “That is why we are eager to start working as soon as possible to negotiate a compromise that will keep our nation and economy strong, and keep the government open. With the end of the fiscal year looming, we urge you to immediately schedule bipartisan budget negotiations so that we can work together over the coming weeks to avoid another manufactured crisis.”

In the letter, the Senators stressed their deep concern for the fact that, with less than two months left in the fiscal year, Leader McConnell has yet to schedule bipartisan negotiations to ensure a budget agreement is reached that restores sequester-level cuts in FY16 appropriations bills and keeps the government operating without interruption. For months, Senate Democrats have repeatedly demanded that Leader McConnell and Republican Leadership schedule such negotiations, yet the requests have been met with a lack of interest in addressing this serious issue.

Full text of the letter is below:

The Honorable Mitch McConnell
Majority Leader
U.S. Senate
S-230 The Capitol
Washington, DC 20150

Dear Leader McConnell:

There are less than two months left in the fiscal year, and we are deeply concerned by the fact that negotiations to craft a bipartisan budget agreement have not yet begun. With the end of the fiscal year looming, we urge you to immediately schedule bipartisan budget negotiations so that we can work together over the coming weeks to avoid another manufactured crisis.

Inaction and failure to responsibly restore sequester-level cuts in FY16 appropriations bills will have real consequences for our country. That is why we are eager to start working as soon as possible to negotiate a compromise that will keep our nation and economy strong, and keep the government open.

With the existence of a clear and urgent deadline for action, we believe it would be unwise to wait until after the Congress returns from the August state work period – just 23 days before the end of the federal fiscal year – to begin talks on a path forward. We cannot afford to wait, only to let delay and inaction bring us to the brink of another totally predictable and completely preventable crisis.

We are ready and willing to work with you to produce a fair and balanced Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015. Therefore, we respectfully request you schedule the first round of these important negotiations as soon as possible.

Sincerely,

Harry Reid
Richard J. Durbin
Charles E. Schumer
Patty Murray
Barbara Mikulski
Patrick J. Leahy
Dianne Feinstein
Barbara Boxer
Ron Wyden
Jack Reed
Bill Nelson
Tom Carper
Debbie Stabenow
Maria Cantwell
Robert Menendez
Ben Cardin
Bernie Sanders
Sherrod Brown
Robert P. Casey, Jr.
Claire McCaskill
Amy Klobuchar
Sheldon Whitehouse
Jon Tester
Tom Udall
Jeanne Shaheen
Mark R. Warner
Jeff Merkley
Michael Bennet
Kirsten Gillibrand
Al Franken
Joe Manchin
Christopher Coons
Richard Blumenthal
Brian Schatz
Tammy Baldwin
Joe Donnelly
Chris Murphy
Mazie K. Hirono
Martin Heinrich
Tim Kaine
Angus King
Elizabeth Warren
Heidi Heitkamp
Edward J. Markey
Cory Booker
Gary Peters