[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 206 (Thursday, December 21, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H15492]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          PARTIAL SHUTDOWN II

  (Mrs. MORELLA asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, yesterday morning there was a ray of 
promise. Yesterday afternoon that promise evaporated. The country cries 
out for a balanced budget agreement now; 260,000 Federal employees have 
been furloughed.
  The good news is that yesterday we obtained a commitment from the 
Speaker and the Senate majority leader that all furloughed employees, 
those who are not working, will be paid. And, indeed, that is correct 
and it is the proper thing to do. These employees and their families 
should not be the victims of budget gridlock. They want to work. This 
is not an extended vacation. They are frustrated and anxious about 
their fate.
  I do want to point out there are a lot of other consequences to this 
partial shutdown. Important research grants at NIH are not being 
processed. I have heard from employees who are missing important 
deadlines because they cannot go to work. They are frustrated and point 
out important work is not being done.
  Each day of the shutdown 2,500 families will not be able to close on 
their mortgages, 260 businesses that receive SBA loans will not receive 
the financing they have been counting on. So many examples. This says 
let us resolve this impasse and do the job we were sent here to do.

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