[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 204 (Tuesday, December 19, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H15101]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      FURLOUGHED FEDERAL EMPLOYEES

  (Ms. McCARTHY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. McCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, thousands of Federal employees in my 
district are once again furloughed and nine cabinet-level agencies plus 
EPA and NASA serving millions of Americans have shut their doors.
  The Republican leadership for a second time has chosen to use 
American taxpayers as pawns in an effort to compromise the President's 
vow to protect Medicare, Medicaid, education, and the environment.
  The Republican leadership has failed in its responsibility to the 
American people to enact a budget. This failure has wide-ranging 
effects.
  It's not just the Federal employees who are prevented from working. 
Crucial services to the American public are not available: FHA 
mortgages are going unprocessed; small businesses are not receiving 
assistance; and veterans' benefits may be delayed.
  As a former member of the Missouri State Legislature and chairman of 
the House Ways and Means Committee--we balanced our budget while 
protecting vital services and passed our spending measure every single 
year. We do it at the State level as do county's and cities and 
business and homes and we should be able to do it at the Federal level.

  It is time to work together to get the job done. It is time to pass 
necessary spending bills and to offer a budget resolution that protects 
the values of the American people. The American people want teamwork 
and this is what we as Democrats insist upon.

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