[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 186 (Monday, November 20, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H13360-H13361]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              NO MORE BRINKSMANSHIP WITH FEDERAL EMPLOYEES

  (Ms. NORTON asked and was given permission to revise and extend her 
remarks.)
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, Republicans have focused on the No. 7. Now 
focus on the No. 4 for Medicare, Medicaid, then education, and the 
environment. President Clinton has explained that the agreement means, 
``nothing will be agreed to unless all elements 

[[Page H 13361]]
are agreed to,'' and he said, ``I cannot sign a budget that 
devastates'' these programs.
  Another drop-dead date, December 15, looms just before Christmas. We 
should not even think about further brinksmanship with Federal 
employees.
  A week of shutting down the financially devastated District has taken 
a new, catastrophic toll inflicted by this body. A short continuing 
resolution makes it impossible to calibrate payments to avoid 
overobligation in running a complex city.
  The D.C. appropriation will probably not come to the floor this week. 
Yet 85 percent of that appropriation comes from D.C. taxpayers.
  Free the 85 percent that is our money.

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