[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 198 (Wednesday, December 13, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H14373]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       EXTREME REPUBLICAN AGENDA

  (Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, on Friday, legislation 
temporarily funding the Government expires, and hundreds of thousands 
of Government workers may be given another paid vacation. Last month 
this cost us $800 million. Speaker Gingrich and House Republicans have 
decided they want to use the threat of a Government shutdown as a 
leverage in the ongoing budget battle, flatly dismissing the importance 
of keeping many of our crucial programs up and running.
  Let us make it absolutely clear the Republicans cannot force these 
mean-spirited cuts on the American people by holding the Government 
shutdown over our heads. They have targeted such programs as education 
cuts that help children, the COPS Program to help my Houston community 
hire over 375 new police officers, and veterans programs, which will 
result in 600 fewer VA medical center beds, 203,000 fewer inpatient 
visits, and 430,000 fewer outpatient visits at VA medical centers.
  The American people do not want a Government shutdown. Let us extend 
this continuing resolution and finish the job we should have completed 
2 months ago. Let us not hold another shutdown over our citizens' heads 
to try to pass these bills.

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