01.25.19

Sullivan Addresses Alaskans on Bipartisan Deal to Reopen the Government

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) spoke on camera to Alaskans about the bill he supported to immediately reopen parts of the federal government that have been closed, for three weeks, while also providing the room to continue negotiating border-security funding.

To watch Senator Sullivan’s address to Alaskans, CLICK HERE. 

Below is a full transcription of Senator Sullivan’s remarks: 

Hello Alaska. Today, the President announced that he would sign a bill that would open, for three weeks, the parts of the federal government that have been closed, while also providing the room to negotiate border-security funding. While this was not the proposal I voted for yesterday, for the sake of our federal workers and their families, I welcome the news and support this bill. As we all know, in Alaska the federal employees in our state do great work for us – there are so many like the TSA, the FAA, NOAA and the members of our Coast Guard who put their lives on the line for us literally every day in Alaska. 

They need to be paid for their work and over the last few weeks that is something I’ve been advocating for in bills, on the Senate floor—to get the Coast Guard and other federal employees paid for their work.  

That said, the debate we’re having over border security is far from over. Throughout this process, I’ve had ongoing discussions about ending the partial government shutdown and border security with Democrats and Republican Senators and directly with the President, including a phone call with him this morning. 

Over the past 25 years, every president of the United States – Democrats and Republicans – has attempted to secure our Southern border. Hundreds of miles of barriers, fences, and walls have been built by Democratic and Republican administrations – with the support of Democrats and Republicans in the Congress. And these barriers work. 

The President and Republicans have been putting forward various proposals that include priorities from each party. Now we need the Democratic leaders in the House and the Senate to come to the table in good faith to focus on border security and other immigration reform issues. I certainly hope they do. Thanks for listening.