Objectives. To begin with, any agreement must provide our armed forces with the resources they need to fulfill their missions. That means setting aside the misguided notion that new defense spending needs to be matched tkphrar dollar for matched tkphrar dollar for spending needs to be matched dollar for dollar by noon on defense spending. Some describe this notion as parity but of course there was no parity p at all in the damagg cuts of the budget select conflicted on our National Security fiscal year 2013 its been cut by 85 billion more 85 billion more than on defense spending, that number has real consequences for the men and women who serve our country in harms way. Last year secretary depends mattis testified that quote no enemy in the field has done more harm than combat readiness of our military then these selfinflicted budget productions. Nothing about this issue needs to be partisan during carter, all similarly warned that cuts would handicap our men and women in uniform. Those were all sectors of administering the Obama Administration and unfortunately at a time when our country faces a myriad of threats and strategic challenges around the globexp experts agree that thiss exactly. Congress is a golden opportunity to put aside politicalla calculations prioritize the needsal all volunteer military. Theres no reason why an arbitrary formula which bears no relationship, none, to the real needs of our armed forces should dictate the degree to which we found them the men and women are doing their job. Our job is to give them the resources. Nl funding are armed forces is not the only area for bipartisan negotiation. Last december they made progress to leaving a longterm reauthorization. Unfortunately, Senate Republicans were prepared and eager to forward and were not able to include that effort is the continuing resolution. Children including in my state of kentucky depend on chip for health coverage. Their parents parents depend on it for Financial Security and peace of a mind. Instead of giving them a fiveyear reauthorization in time for the holidays partisan objections for scholars to settle for shortterm patch. This month we canan set this rit and i know that colleagues on both sides of the aisle are eager to provide an longterm solution, five years, full reauthorization and lets get this done for working families. M furthermore, both parties of stated congress shouldid act to provide relief to communities across country devastated by disasters in 2017 last years hurricanes crippled puerto rico and the Us Virgin Islands until closeom to mainland communities from florida to texas. Wildfires caused damage across the western united states. Forhe Many Americans in these is nowhere near back to normal. E near back it is time to complete our work on the supplemental Disaster Relief legislator. It is imperative that none of these priorities be held hostage to our ongoing discussion around immigration policies. Senators with h diverse viewpois have been discussing how to address the unlawfully established daca program while also improving Border Security and interior enforcement and addressing other important parts of our token immigration system. As i have stated in the compromise solution emerges that meets the conditions of the president it will be brought up for a vote here in the senate. In the meantime lets continue productive negotiations insecure of bipartisan funding agreement. Thank you. Yesterday, mr. President , the fourth congressional leaders at a positive and productive meeting with director mulvaney and representatives from the white house including mr. Short. It was a good first step and theres a lot of work to do. Ultimately the budget agreement must lift spending caps with parity between defense and urgent domestic priorities. It must include disaster aid, Health Care Package and an agreement to ein