[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 183 (Friday, November 17, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H13278]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             BUDGET CRISIS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Kentucky [Mr. Ward] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. WARD. Mr. Speaker, I seek recognition this evening to say that in 
about 30 minutes there is going to be a very important discussion on 
this floor. It is going to be a discussion led by and participated in 
by the freshman Members of the Democratic Party. There are not many of 
us, but we feel that this is worth taking extra moments to talk about. 
That is, the need for us to stay here to work out this budget impasse.
  We fell that as freshmen we have been elected and sent here to make 
sure that we move forward the process of government.
  We feel that it is clear that with a 2-hour, 3-hour session on 
Saturday and nothing on Sunday, not until late in the afternoon on 
Monday, we are making a mistake.
  It is not a question of how we spend time with our families or how we 
worship. We have the opportunity to worship at many fine houses of 
worship within walking distance of this building. We have the 
opportunity, those of us in Chamber who worship on Saturday, to worship 
close by in this building.
  But remember, what I am saying, Mr. Speaker, is that we have hundreds 
of thousands of Federal employees across this country who are 
uncertain. I have spoken to people in my district who work for the 
Federal Government who are uncertain, people in my district office who 
are on furlough, who do not know if they will be able to make their 
mortgage payment, who do not know if they will be able to pay their 
rent with the check that is delivered to them for their month's work 
for November.
  Mr. Speaker, I think when we face a problem like this, that we should 
stay in until we get it done.
  I want to spend time with my family, who are home in Louisville this 
minute, just as much as anyone in this body, just as much. But I think 
we owe it to the American people to stay at this job to get it done. If 
it takes staying here until we get tired of looking at each other to 
the point that we resolved our differences, that is what it will take.
  So in about 30 minutes, you will see a discussion on this floor led 
by the freshman Members of the Democratic Party who will say in no 
uncertain terms that we stand unified in our commitment to keep this 
body working throughout the weekend, on through to make sure that we 
resolve these differences. We owe the people of this country nothing 
more and nothing less.

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