Analysis · Speech on a bill · beta

Tom Cole

Republican on Continuing Appropriations Act, 2027 2026-07-21

589 words · 36 sentences · 45 clauses

Statement grade

Average 76 / 100

A score under 50 is red. Choose a measurement to see where it lost points and why; choose it again to clear.

Procedure 6%Claims 42%Reasoning 14%Positioning 29%Thanks 4%The ask 2%Promise 3%

This view breaks the statement into its steps and names what each one does.

Mr. Speaker, Procedure · 9 wordsI yield myself such time as I may consume.Procedure Mr. Speaker, Claims · 23 wordsI rise today in support of H.R. 9770, the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2027. This Congress has a constitutional duty to fund the government. Reasoning · 19 wordsIf Article I teaches us anything, it is that governing means doing the work, not waiting for a crisis. Positioning · 21 wordsIt is a responsibility I have never viewed as optional and one I have remained committed to honoring through regular order.Positioning Claims · 20 wordsOver the last year, Mr. Speaker, the House Committee on Appropriations has acted to fulfill our fiscal year 2027 responsibilities. Positioning · 26 wordsPrevious partisan shutdowns and political headwinds never deterred us from doing our work. In fact, we refused to let political dysfunction become an excuse for inaction.PositioningUnearned certainty Claims · 49 wordsSo, line by line, bill by bill, we delivered all 12 regular appropriations bills out of committee.¹ This was accomplished before the end of June, the earliest date on record since fiscal year 2020.² We have also passed three of these bills across this very floor with bipartisan support.³ Thanks · 24 wordsI am deeply proud of the engagement, discipline, and focus of our cardinals and appropriators and the support of our colleagues in this Chamber.Thanks Positioning · 24 wordsWhile I wish I could say the same momentum and determination is being exercised on the other side of the Capitol, it is not.Positioning Claims · 8 wordsSenate Democrats won’t even allow markups to progress. Reasoning · 29 wordsIt is impossible to negotiate full-year funding when circumstances make clear that one side is willing to bring the process to a standstill before it can even leave committee.Off point Procedure · 7 wordsThe hard reality before us is straightforward.ProcedureUnearned certainty Claims · 10 wordsThe fiscal year deadline is outpacing the work that remains. Positioning · 21 wordsOur Conference refuses to let the obstruction and inaction of Senate Democrats trigger another manufactured shutdown at the end of September.PositioningOff point Reasoning · 16 wordsThat is why we are acting before a funding lapse crisis, not in response to it. Claims · 23 wordsThis clean, short-term continuing resolution simply keeps the government open, protects the progress we have made, and preserves the path to full-year appropriations. Procedure · 9 wordsFor anyone questioning this legislation, the facts are simple: ProcedureUnearned certaintyClaims · 55 wordsIt extends the government funding deadline to December 4, denying any party the opportunity to manufacture leverage before elections.⁴ It contains no poison pills or partisan riders.⁵ It prevents harmful disruptions to our national security and the vital programs our constituents rely on. And it preserves the House’s progress toward completing full-year fiscal 2027 appropriations. Positioning · 12 wordsYou see, it is never too early to do the right thing.Positioning Claims · 36 wordsIn fact, after Senate Democrats forced the two longest government shutdowns in American history and abandoned previously negotiated funding agreements more than once, we have every reason to act early and every responsibility to do so.⁶Off pointUnearned certainty Positioning · 24 wordsThe House will make clear to the Nation where we stand, and it is on the side of stability, certainty, and the American people.Positioning Claims · 22 wordsAdditionally, supporting this bill does not limit, hinder, or halt any work on the full-year appropriations for any of the 12 bills. Procedure · 4 wordsThe choice is clear: ProcedureReasoning · 18 wordsEither Members will vote to keep the government working or they will vote to risk another unnecessary shutdown.False choice Positioning · 44 wordsI know which option my constituents expect. I know which option gives families relying on nutrition assistance or disaster relief the certainty they need. I know which options our troops, veterans, TSA agents, and government employees deserve. I know which option I will choose.Positioning The ask · 13 wordsI urge my colleagues to join me in voting for this responsible measure, Promise · 16 wordsand I look forward to continuing the fiscal year 2027 appropriations process in the coming months. Mr. Speaker, Procedure · 7 wordsI reserve the balance of my time.Procedure

At a glance

Lost points for

Switch Claims on to list the checkable claims here.

What the tags mean

Signal · 58

21 of 31 deductions are Signal

Signal checks whether every part makes a point, gives a reason, or asks for action. A low score means the speaker filled time with fluff, pleasantries, or attacks.

Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “I yield myself such time as I may consume.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “It is a responsibility I have never viewed as optional and one I have remained committed to honoring through regular order.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “Previous partisan shutdowns and political headwinds never deterred us from doing our work.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “In fact, we refused to let political dysfunction become an excuse for inaction.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Thanks and tributes.What the tags mean “I am deeply proud of the engagement, discipline,”Thanks: no claim, reason or ask.
Thanks and tributes.What the tags mean “and focus of our cardinals and appropriators and the support of our colleagues in this Chamber.”Thanks: no claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “While I wish I could say the same momentum and determination is being exercised on the other side of the Capitol, it is not.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “The hard reality before us is straightforward.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “Our Conference refuses to let the obstruction and inaction of Senate Democrats trigger another manufactured shutdown at the end of September.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “For anyone questioning this legislation, the facts are simple:”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “You see, it is never too early to do the right thing.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “The House will make clear to the Nation where we stand,”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “and it is on the side of stability, certainty,”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “and the American people.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “The choice is clear:”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “I know which option my constituents expect.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “I know which option gives families relying on nutrition assistance or disaster relief the certainty they need.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “I know which options our troops, veterans, TSA agents,”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “and government employees deserve.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “I know which option I will choose.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “I reserve the balance of my time.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.

Relevance · 75

5 of 31 deductions are Relevance

Relevance checks whether the speaker stays on topic and answers the question asked. A low score means the speaker dodged the issue. Measured against the bill under debate.

Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “While I wish I could say the same momentum and determination is being exercised on the other side of the Capitol, it is not.”Political jab at the Senate rather than a point about the bill before the House.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “Senate Democrats won’t even allow markups to progress.”Attacks Senate Democrats’ process, not the provisions of the CR.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “It is impossible to negotiate full-year funding when circumstances make clear that one side is willing to bring the process to a standstill before it can even leave committee.”Blames one side for stalled negotiations, a partisan point substituting for discussion of the bill.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “Our Conference refuses to let the obstruction and inaction of Senate Democrats trigger another manufactured shutdown at the end of September.”Frames the vote against Senate Democrats rather than explaining the measure itself.
Talking about something other than the matter at hand: the question asked, or the bill, motion or speech under debate.What the tags mean “In fact, after Senate Democrats forced the two longest government shutdowns in American history and abandoned previously negotiated funding agreements more than once, we have every reason to act early and every responsibility to do so.”Partisan recrimination about past shutdowns in place of substance about this CR.

Reasoning · 83

1 of 31 deductions are Reasoning

Reasoning checks for sound logic and solid support for any conclusion. A low score means the speaker made unsupported leaps or used weak arguments.

Two options presented as if they were the only ones.What the tags mean “Either Members will vote to keep the government working or they will vote to risk another unnecessary shutdown.”The clause presents only two options, as if a Member could not oppose the CR for other reasons without risking a shutdown.

Conclusions found · 3

Conclusion“That is why we are acting before a funding lapse crisis, not in response to it.”

Because“The fiscal year deadline is outpacing the work that remains.”

“This clean, short-term continuing resolution simply keeps the government open, protects the progress we have made,”

Reason given
Conclusion“Either Members will vote to keep the government working or they will vote to risk another unnecessary shutdown.”

BecauseGiven in the same sentence

Reason flawedThe clause presents only two options, as if a Member could not oppose the CR for other reasons without risking a shutdown.
Conclusion“I urge my colleagues to join me in voting for this responsible measure,”

Because“This clean, short-term continuing resolution simply keeps the government open, protects the progress we have made,”

“It extends the government funding deadline to December 4, denying any party the opportunity to manufacture leverage before elections.”

“It contains no poison pills or partisan riders.”

“It prevents harmful disruptions to our national security and the vital programs our constituents rely on.”

“And it preserves the House’s progress toward completing full-year fiscal 2027 appropriations.”

Reason given

Respect · no score

Not checked: graded before this measurement existed. Excluded from the average.

Respect checks whether the speaker argued with people’s positions and records rather than attacking the people: insults, mockery, or bad motives assigned to them. Criticism of what someone did, however strong, is not marked.

Clarity · 89

4 of 31 deductions are Clarity

Clarity checks for plain speaking, clear ownership of actions, and honest limits on certainty. A low score means vague promises or evasive language.

Something stated as certain with nothing to back it.What the tags mean “In fact”A certainty formula asserting refusal of inaction without a source or evidence offered.
Something stated as certain with nothing to back it.What the tags mean “The hard reality before us is straightforward”Asserts the speaker’s framing as objective reality in place of a source.
Something stated as certain with nothing to back it.What the tags mean “the facts are simple”Replaces a cited source with an assertion that the claims are plain facts.
Something stated as certain with nothing to back it.What the tags mean “In fact”A certainty formula introducing claims about shutdowns without a source.

Claims · 6

This list shows the factual statements you can check for yourself: the words as said, and the claim restated to stand on its own.

1“we delivered all 12 regular appropriations bills out of committee”The House Committee on Appropriations reported all 12 fiscal year 2027 regular appropriations bills out of committee during the 12 months before the speech.search
2“This was accomplished before the end of June, the earliest date on record since fiscal year 2020”All 12 FY2027 regular appropriations bills were reported out of committee before the end of June 2026, the earliest completion date on record since fiscal year 2020.search
3“We have also passed three of these bills across this very floor”The House had passed three of the fiscal year 2027 regular appropriations bills on the House floor before the date of this speech.search
4“It extends the government funding deadline to December 4”The Continuing Appropriations Act, 2027 (H.R. 9770) extends government funding through December 4, 2026.search
5“It contains no poison pills or partisan riders”H.R. 9770, the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2027, contains no partisan legislative riders.search
6“Senate Democrats forced the two longest government shutdowns in American history”The two longest government shutdowns in American history occurred during periods when Senate Democrats were in a position of responsibility for them.search

Analyzed on 2026-09-15