[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 209 (Wednesday, December 27, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2455]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  INTRODUCTION OF S. 1508 WHICH WOULD DEEM ALL FEDERAL WORKERS TO BE 
                          ESSENTIAL EMPLOYEES

                                 ______


                       HON. CONSTANCE A. MORELLA

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 27, 1995

  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join with my colleagues 
from Virginia, Congressmen Tom Davis, Frank Wolf, and Jim Moran, to 
introduce legislation that would deem all Federal workers to be 
essential employees.
  This bill, the House companion to S. 1508, would allow Federal 
workers to go back to their jobs. If I don't know anything else about 
Federal workers, I know this: Federal workers across the country and in 
my district want to work. All week long, I have been getting calls from 
scientists at the National Institutes of Health [NIH] who are 
frustrated because they cannot get into their labs. These dedicated 
Federal workers should not be prevented from working on a cure for 
cystic fibrosis or for breast cancer. We need these people to be 
working. They should not be kept from their work for a week; not even 
for 1 day.
  Most importantly, this legislation would eliminate the distinction 
between ``essential'' and ``nonessential'' employees. I cannot think of 
a term more misleading or misguided than ``nonessential.'' The term 
must be eliminated from the Federal vocabulary.
  We are experiencing the longest Government shutdown in American 
history. It is a demoralizing and divisive experience for our work 
force. It is costly and disruptive to the taxpayers. It has hurt 
businesses in the District of Columbia and elsewhere in the local area.
  Clearly, I would have preferred to pass a continuing resolution that 
would keep the entire Government running.
  This bill, which passed the Senate, is an incremental step toward 
getting Government totally operational again.