[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 214 (Tuesday, January 2, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S19336]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             SUBSTANTIAL ECONOMIC IMPACT THROUGHOUT COUNTRY

  Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I intended to close following the 
statement of my good friend from Virginia. I want the Record to show 
the District of Columbia is not the only place that relies 
substantially upon the income of Federal employees or the activities of 
the Federal Government. There is substantial impact throughout the 
country. Even my own city of Anchorage had an impact because of the 
shutdown.
  The difficulty I have with coming here today is that I do not think 
most Members nor the executive branch have thought over the 
consequences of Attorney General Civiletti's opinion.
  It is my judgment, and I say this advisedly as the chairman of the 
Governmental Affairs Committee now, that we should join together and 
find a way to legislate permanently so that this kind of a situation 
does not continue to occur. I think the taxpayers have every right to 
be very, very irate over the fact that we will pay a substantial number 
of people for not working, and those people who have been sent home as 
being nonessential Federal employees are chagrined over that decision 
of their superiors. They, too, take the position that their job is 
essential and that they should be paid.
  I believe it is absolutely essential that we not send Federal 
employees home in the belief that somehow or another pressure will be 
created on one branch of government or the other as a result of these 
people not being allowed to do their work. The real pressure ultimately 
comes on the taxpayer who is paying for work that is not done, and I 
think it is our job to change that. I hope the Congress will do 
something this week about it.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Iowa is recognized for 7 
minutes.

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