[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 214 (Tuesday, January 2, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S19332]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

  Mr. ROBB. Mr. President, I have been listening to our colleagues this 
morning and I was not initially planning to say anything but with my 
distinguished senior colleague in the chair at this particular moment I 
know that I reflect his views in what I say, and what I say is that the 
continuing shutdown of the Federal Government and the impact it is 
having on not only Federal employees--and in most cases it is the most 
vulnerable and the least able to withstand this kind of treatment--but 
the impact it is having on many, many others who are directly or 
indirectly affected by the Federal Government or by the activities of 
the Federal Government.
  Mr. President, the continuation, indeed, the extent, indeed, the fact 
that we are having a shutdown at all, is unconscionable. I think that 
it makes no sense, no sense for either side, no sense for anyone who is 
involved in this particular debate, to see this protracted shutdown, 
the protracted demeaning, demoralizing impact on so many of our 
citizens continue.
  I recognize that the feelings on both sides are very deeply felt. I 
recognize that there are important philosophical differences that are 
being debated, and indeed I have been very much supportive of the basic 
thrust of those who want to achieve more fiscal discipline. As the 
distinguished Presiding Officer knows, during the time I served as 
Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, one of the things I was most 
often identified with was fiscal responsibility and making certain that 
we acted within our means. I have voted for, on several occasions, a 7-
year balanced budget using CBO numbers. I think there is general 
agreement on both sides that we are going to come up with such a 
budget, hopefully in the near term, although some of the philosophical 
differences are very, very deep and may not be resolved but we should 
not ask those who are most vulnerable to continue to bear the brunt of 
this shutdown.
  Again, I am not speaking just of the 200,000-some Federal employees, 
many of whom reside in the State that the distinguished Presiding 
Officer and I represent, but all over the country, but so many others 
dependent on the effective operation of our Government. A huge number 
of citizens are uncertain whether they will be able to make their 
payments. For some, it will be a very basic decision as to whether or 
not they will be able to purchase food, medicine, what have you, the 
next time around, because they live from paycheck to paycheck. Others 
have mortgages, they have rent payments, they have car payments, they 
have all kinds of tuition payments, everything that you can imagine. 
Many things that we cannot imagine.
  I have been in the last few days here at the Capitol, listening to 
stories of individuals who have been enormously inconvenienced by this 
continued shutdown. I appeal to the leadership on both sides. I believe 
in the Senate that there is virtual unanimous agreement that this 
shutdown should not continue. Indeed, the Senate has attempted on 
several occasions to pass some legislation that would keep the 
Government functioning.
  But I appeal to those who are in a position to make decisions at this 
time to move forward, to not let this continue. Do not let this 
debilitating shutdown, which is so unconscionable, continue, and to put 
the people we are asking to provide Government services back to work, 
to stop the complete inefficiency and the waste of taxpayer dollars, 
and then to get on to the serious business of negotiating some very 
real differences that I acknowledge.
  Mr. President, I thank the President and I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Virginia is recognized.

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