[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 181 (Wednesday, November 15, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S17048-S17049]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     CONGRESS IS STILL GETTING PAID

  Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I want to certainly applaud the Senator 
from North Dakota for his words because they are right on target. This 
is day two of a partial shutdown of the Government of the United States 
of America. And, yes, we know it is not impacting too many Americans 
yet, but it is hurting some veterans, Social Security recipients, those 
who use our national parks, museums, and monuments, those who need to 
travel and need to get their passports for business who have already 
paid for their airline tickets and cannot get their passports.
  There are environmental laws that are on the books that are not being 
enforced because they are not deemed ``essential emergencies.'' That is 
dangerous. And I might say, there are hundreds of thousands of American 
workers staying home who chose to work for the Federal Government 
because they believe that is a proud place to work, and they do not 
know if they will get their pay. I think they are asking a very 
legitimate question, and that is: What about the pay of Members of 
Congress? What about that?
  Well, unless the House acts as the Senate did and passes the no-
budget, no-pay bill that I authored with Congressman Dick Durbin, 
Members of Congress will get their pay--oh, yes, do not worry--while 
they send to the President debt extensions and continuing resolutions 
loaded down with political blackmail. They are getting their pay. They 
are getting their pay.
  Newt Gingrich said in April, we are going to ``create a titanic 
legislative standoff with President Clinton by adding vetoed bills to 
must-pass legislation increasing the national debt ceiling.'' And that 
is what he has done. But he has protected his own flock of supporters 
over there. And I hope people are ringing his phone off the hook, 
telling him to pass the no budget, no pay. It was supported here by 
Senator Dole and Senator Daschle, and it passed here twice. Today, the 
House has a chance to join us because it is in the DC appropriations 
bill. It is in the conference, and it turns out that Senator Jeffords 
and Senator Kohl are going to push it. Congressman Durbin is on that 
conference. All the Members of Congress have to do is vote to send the 
President a short-term continuing appropriations bill clean, not loaded 
down with the budget fights because those budget fights are coming.
  Why have we not had them yet? Because this Republican Congress has 
not done its work. They have not finished the appropriations bills. 
They have not finished the reconciliation bill. When they do, it will 
be vetoed by this President because of its cruel cuts in Medicare, its 
cruel cuts in Medicare, its repeal of national standards for nursing 
homes, its deep cuts in environmental protection, its deep cuts in 
education.
  This President and the Democrats in this body want to have a balanced 
budget, but we want to do it the right way, not the wrong way. We are 
not going to steal from Medicare and Medicaid and education and give a 
tax cut to those earning millions of dollars a year.
  Under their plan, if you earn $350,000 a year you are going to get 
back $5,500 a year. Oh, but Members of Congress are getting paid while 
this standoff happens, while a million workers are wondering if they 
can pay their rent. And I can tell you, if not this, what is our job? 
If not to come together and keep the Government running, what is our 
job? This is not a ball game.
  This is the greatest Nation in the world. When I was a stockbroker, I 
watched the financial markets, and they shivered when the President got 
sick or there was any threat of instability.
  I am going to show you a quote. The Washington Post wrote on November 
15: ``Newt's Nightmare for America. Budget gridlock could send stock 
prices down as much as 20 percent and lead to higher interest rates and 
a weaker dollar.'' 

[[Page S17049]]

  Is this why we should be getting paid? We should not be getting paid.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator's time has expired.
  Mr. FORD. Parliamentary inquiry, Mr. President. What is the timeframe 
now? We had morning business, I think, until 12:30, and then it was 
extended. I am not sure where we are.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. To recognize two remaining Senators, the 
Senator from Minnesota and the Senator from Montana, after which 
morning business will be closed.
  Mr. FORD. I thought it was those Senators on the floor at the time.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. That is correct.
  Mr. FORD. I thank the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Minnesota.

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