[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 207 (Friday, December 22, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H15622]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      WHY THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN?

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. (Mr. Coble). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from California [Mr. Kim] is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. KIM. Mr. Speaker, I would like to send a message to the people in 
my district in California. Over the past few days, a lot of people in 
my district are calling me and asking me what is going on here, why the 
Government has to shut down? I represent the 41st District in 
California, about 40 miles east of Los Angeles, and about 3,000 miles 
from Washington, DC. My district is a typical suburban middle-class 
district in sunny, southern California.
  These folks are hard working people who spend most of their time 
working and raising their families. As a result, they are not familiar 
with all the political games we are playing in Washington, DC. They 
told me to go ahead and shut down the Government so we can save money, 
so we can balance the budget. The fact is, there is no financial 
savings. All the Federal employees still get paychecks.
  They also are wondering why we have so many nonessential employees in 
our Government anyway. I do not know how to answer that. But let me 
tell you, I feel sorry for the Federal employees furloughed. They have 
been treated like pawns in a chess game. They have been sent home, 
being called nonessential, not once, but twice. I bet you their 
emotional scars are really deep. They are really emotional victims.
  But there are some other victims, too. The folks from California come 
all the way out to Washington, DC, spending their savings to see the 
Washington Monument, which is closed. It is not that easy planning a 
trip to Washington, DC. It is expensive. They are truly victims, 
financial and emotional.
  How about the small businesses that depend on tourism, all the small 
shops, motels, coffee shops. They have to lay off their employees. They 
do not get paid. How about them?
  How about some other private contractors who depend on Government 
contracts? They have got to stop. They have to let their employees go 
home, without pay.
  How about those folks? They are really the true victims, emotionally 
and financially. Do they complain? No. They are afraid to complain 
because they may lose the contract from the Government. I know it, 
because I was one of those silent victims myself in the past. These are 
the ones that are the forgotten victims during this holiday season.

  Let us take a look at whose fault is this. People are saying it is 
the Congress' fault, you are the ones that did it. Some are saying it 
is Mr. Clinton.
  Let us take a look at it. I will ask the people in California to make 
their own judgment. Government does not have to be shut down. The 
Congress and Senate submit the budget to Mr. Clinton. He vetoed it, 
three times. Interior, he vetoed. VA-HUD, Commerce, Justice, State, et 
cetera. If he did not veto it, but went ahead and accepted the budget 
and worked out the details later, it would have been all right. He 
actually vetoed. That is why we have to have a Government shutdown. Or 
he could accept this budget proposal, which is nothing but a balancing 
of the budget within 7 years using Congressional Budget Office 
projections.
  Back in February, he submitted, which is $276 billion off; 
resubmitted, June, $210 billion off, rejected; third time in December, 
only a few weeks ago, $115 billion off, rejected; last Friday he 
submitted, $87 billion off. Getting closer. By that time Congress took 
action and Congress rejected his proposal unanimously.
  Mr. Clinton, try one more time. We are going to get there, $87 
billion, that is all we are talking about. Just one more time and we 
will get there. Then we can bring all these people happiness in the 
holy season.
  Let me tell you, Congress does not have any power to send the troops 
to Bosnia. We passed a resolution three times and sent it to Mr. 
Clinton not to send troops. He did it. Yes, he has the power. Congress 
does not. Of course, we have financial control. Somebody said it is 
Congress' fault. I will tell you. I would like to ask the people in my 
district in southern California who are listening to my presentation 
today, make your own judgment. Really, whose fault is this?
  Mr. Speaker, thank you, God bless all, and God bless America.

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