Senators John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer of North Dakota issued statements on Thursday after the Senate was blocked from considering the fiscal year 2020 Defense Appropriations Bill, along with three other full-year funding bills.

“Our men and women in uniform deserve the certainty that comes with this full-year funding bill,” said Hoeven. “This legislation makes important investments in our military, including resources to modernize our nuclear forces and advance UAS (unmanned aerial system) capabilities. We need our colleagues to join with us in approving this defense funding, and provide our servicemembers with the resources they need to protect our nation.”

Hoeven is a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Cramer said, “This is an embarrassing moment for the United States Senate. The impeachment-obsessed Democratic Party can’t put their hatred of President Trump aside long enough to fund our nation’s military. Our first Constitutional obligation is to the defense of the nation; their obstruction is a dereliction of duty. I urge Democrats to reconsider their actions and to put our shared national security interests above petty partisan politics.”

Cramer delivered remarks on the Senate floor last night urging Democrats to support the defense appropriations package.

“I find it astonishing that all the wanna-be Commanders-in-Chief here in Congress are playing politics with the funding and authorities of the troops they one day hope to lead,” said Cramer in Wednesday night’s remarks.