Senators Cotton, Ernst Express Concern, Optimism After First Committee Sessions
After initial committee hearings tonight, the Hill spoke to two members of the Armed Services Committee, Senators Joni Ernst (R--IA.) and Tom Cotton (R--AR) about the days proceedings, which focused on the testimony for three bills.
Senator Ernst introduced the Military Save Act and the E-Stop Act, which focus on aiding veterans and victims of sexual assault in the military. Senator Cotton is preparing for the hearings on Taiwan Security Act of 2018, which will take place tomorrow.
Both Ernst and Cotton reflected on the day, with Ernst striking a particularly aggressive tone towards Committee Chairman Jack Reed (D--RI). "What concerns me is that the Chairman, Senator Reed, informed me of something that I already knew. That they [the Democrats] have a majority on the committee and they can prevent my legislation from getting to the floor.” Ernst said, adding on“I would like him to know that if he did prevent my bill from making it to the floor, he’d prevent Senator McKaskil from having a bill that she co-sponsored on the floor”
Senator Cotton struck a more optimistic tone, saying “We had a lot of progress made in committee” said Cotton, before continuing“There is some language in the Consent Act that currently needs to be worked out that I brought up in committee. I hope that Senator Reed understands that I support a majority of the bill but some of the language in Section 19 is not pertinent to the bill as a whole"
Both Senators hoped that their bills would get to the Senate floor by the end of the week, and expressed hope that with minor bills the Consent Act could become bipartisan legislation.
Senator Ernst introduced the Military Save Act and the E-Stop Act, which focus on aiding veterans and victims of sexual assault in the military. Senator Cotton is preparing for the hearings on Taiwan Security Act of 2018, which will take place tomorrow.
Both Ernst and Cotton reflected on the day, with Ernst striking a particularly aggressive tone towards Committee Chairman Jack Reed (D--RI). "What concerns me is that the Chairman, Senator Reed, informed me of something that I already knew. That they [the Democrats] have a majority on the committee and they can prevent my legislation from getting to the floor.” Ernst said, adding on“I would like him to know that if he did prevent my bill from making it to the floor, he’d prevent Senator McKaskil from having a bill that she co-sponsored on the floor”
Senator Cotton struck a more optimistic tone, saying “We had a lot of progress made in committee” said Cotton, before continuing“There is some language in the Consent Act that currently needs to be worked out that I brought up in committee. I hope that Senator Reed understands that I support a majority of the bill but some of the language in Section 19 is not pertinent to the bill as a whole"
Both Senators hoped that their bills would get to the Senate floor by the end of the week, and expressed hope that with minor bills the Consent Act could become bipartisan legislation.
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