Cole Opposes Democrats’ Fiscal Year 2021 Budget Resolution

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04) released the following statement after he voted against H. Con. Res. 11, a budget resolution for fiscal year 2021 that skipped consideration in the committee of jurisdiction before it was brought to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives by Democratic leadership this week. Cole is a former member of the House Budget Committee, which is tasked with the process of writing the budget.

"I am very disappointed that Democrats chose to race ahead with a budget resolution that never even saw the light of day in the House Budget Committee," said Cole. "When I served on the panel in prior Congresses, I always valued the process of working through various hearings, considering expert testimony, listening to my colleagues and proposing ideas for inclusion in the budget. None of those things happened last year – when the fiscal year 2021 budget should have been written and considered by the panel – because it was not a politically convenient tool for Democrats then.

"With Democrats now holding an albeit slim majority in both chambers, the budget is suddenly a means to ram through their partisan priorities and go it alone on additional coronavirus relief. Considering that lawmakers already worked together across the aisle to deliver bipartisan relief five times last year, I regret that Democrats are choosing a course of action that will deepen divisions, rather than pave the way for unity. This is a disservice to the American people."

Yesterday on the House floor, Cole made remarks during debate on the rule providing for consideration of H. Con. Res. 11. Transcript is available here.

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