[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 2 (Thursday, January 4, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H123-H124]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       ANOTHER VICTIM OF SHUTDOWN

  (Mr. EDWARDS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)

[[Page H124]]

  Mr. EDWARDS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to read one more letter from a 
real person in my district, another victim of the Gingrich shutdown 
philosophy.

       Mr. Edwards: I used to live on welfare but I fought my way 
     out of the system. I'm employed at the VA hospital in Temple, 
     Texas as a certified surgical tech. I'm not on food stamps, 
     AFDC or Medicaid anymore. I support my children and take care 
     of them through my job which I am not being paid for. The 
     check I was to receive on January 2 was for rent, electric 
     bills, food and gas. My 9-year-old's birthday had to be put 
     on hold until I start getting paid again. I wish they could 
     have felt my heartbreak when I told him and he started to 
     cry.

  Mr. Speaker, it is time to pass a resolution to put the Government 
and decent, hardworking Federal employees back to work. We can do that 
if Mr. Gingrich and the House Republicans will let us take 15 minutes 
to vote in favor of a clean continuing resolution.

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