[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 212 (Saturday, December 30, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S19319]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 BRINGING FEDERAL WORKERS BACK TO WORK

  Mr. DASCHLE. The majority leader and I have been discussing the 
effort to bring people back to work. Unfortunately, we are not at a 
point where a resolution will be offered this evening. I must say I am 
very frustrated by the current set of circumstances. I know it is hard 
for the American people to understand what is going on. Frankly, it is 
hard for me to understand. All rationality seems to have been lost in 
this process, but let me try to explain the situation as I see it.
  All year, the Speaker and his lieutenants have warned that they would 
shut the Government down as part of their revolution. They did not care 
what the price was; they wanted to force their radical agenda on the 
President and on the American people. And each day there has been a new 
demand, each day a new hostage--Federal employees, people who depend on 
Government services, now even the Middle East peace process.
  The majority leader has worked in good faith in an effort to try to 
resolve this matter. And he has said he does not believe in shutting 
the Government down. I believe him, and I share that view very 
strongly. The Government remains shut because some Members in the House 
want it shut. It is government by gimmick, and it is wrong.
  The majority leader offered a bill to declare all Federal employees 
essential, and that bill was pending in the House for a long period of 
time. They could have passed it at any moment and sent it directly to 
the President. It was pending for 8 days. Instead, the House has chosen 
to play political games with it.
  Furthermore, while I support the Dole-Warner bill, I must say it 
falls short of what I think we need to do, frankly. It is an important 
step, but it is not a solution to the problems caused by the Republican 
Government shutdown.
  Congress has to pass legislation to fund the Government. Not once, 
not twice, but on nine separate occasions now we have offered a 
continuing resolution to do that, but each time it was met with 
Republican objections. Under the measure that is now being 
contemplated, a measure which would make all Federal employees 
essential, Government workers still could not obligate new funds, make 
new purchases or do any traveling; they could not spend any money; they 
could not pay contractors; they could not make grants; they could not 
buy supplies; they could not be paid.
  Let me emphasize, under the Dole-Warner legislation, Federal workers 
would be at work but they would not be paid until some later date, and 
then they would be paid retroactively. So we will be asking them to go 
to work, which is better than asking them to stay home, but we will be 
asking them to go to work and not be paid.
  Mr. President, keeping the Government closed is an unacceptable 
situation. We should not allow that to occur. Small businesses would 
not be able to get SBA loans, and 2,500 FHA home mortgage closures 
would be blocked; health researchers awarded NIH grants would still not 
be funded. If a forest ranger's truck ran out of gas in a national 
park, there would be no money to fill it up. State and local entities 
would not be funded for programs like Meals on Wheels; students would 
not get their college loans.
  I believe that the House wants confrontation, not solution. Time and 
again we have offered solutions. Time and again, working with the 
majority leader, who I believe wants solutions, we have not been able 
to get that job done.
  So we will keep working toward a solution. And as I say, I commend 
the majority leader for his efforts in trying to accomplish what we 
know we must do. We are not there yet. I have very, very grave 
reservations about the fact that we still on this day have not been 
able to send a clear message to Federal employees or to the U.S. 
taxpayers that this issue can be resolved. Let us hope that prior to 
Tuesday it will be resolved.
  I yield the floor.

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