[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 2 (Thursday, January 4, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H128-H129]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      SUPPORT A CLEAN CONTINUING RESOLUTION TO OPEN THE GOVERNMENT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Texas [Ms. Jackson-Lee] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I may be comforted that I have 
heard more voices coming to this well and really asking in a very 
sincere and honest manner can we not all get along; and, in fact, 
answer the American people in an affirmative answer by saying we can 
and we will open this Government, and we will allow our citizens to go 
back to work not so much because they are Federal employees, but 
because they are public servants who are doing the business of the 
public, providing essential and necessary responsibilities that this 
Government is entrusted to do.
  With that, I am comforted by the more than 40 of my colleagues that 
have joined me in supporting a clean continuing resolution that would 
open this Government for at least 2 weeks, to January 19, fund the 
existing operations at at least 90 percent, so that we would not have 
the crisis that we are facing.
  In Houston we have only four Environmental Protection Agency 
employees. They cannot do their job. So communities like Pleasantville 
and Kennedy Heights, that would need the services of the Environmental 
Protection Agency dealing with Superfund cleanup responsibilities, they 
cannot get toxic waste areas cleaned up. The Superfund monies have been 
depleted as of last Tuesday.
  This clean continuing resolution would allow us to continue to debate 
these very emotional issues dealing with the budget; whether we should 
have a $245 billion tax cut; whether or not we should shut down 57 
schools in Texas by prohibiting them from having direct student loans 
for their students. And when I say shut down, shut down the opportunity 
of those students to go to college.
  I might add, too, that the list is growing of supporters who want 
this resolution to come to the floor, and it is different from the one 
of the other body, because the other body's resolution was until 
January 11. And I applaud Senator Dole, but now we have come to the end 
of this week and we still have not gotten a budget compromise. So Frank 
Pallone, Robert Menendez, Chet Edwards, Bob Wise, Chuck Schumer, Henry 
B. Gonzalez, Mike McNulty, Ike Skelton, Gene Taylor, Jerry Nadler, 
Karen Thurman, Bobby Scott, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Bill Hefner, Lynn 
Rivers, Mike Ward, and William Jefferson are now adding their names to 
this effort of bipartisanship.
  As we speak today, we are losing $50 million a day, ladies and 
gentlemen, my colleagues, by this shutdown. All total we have lost $550 
million. We are in the middle of a peacekeeping responsibility in 
Bosnia. Our young men and women need us. We need our resources. We need 
to use our tax dollars effectively.
  What have we seen in the headlines besides the budget? We see 
corporations laying off 40,000 people. We need to be in the business of 
providing and creating jobs. Our small businesses in the 18th 
Congressional District, who would receive small business loans, which, 
in fact, in my view, are the backbone of America, cannot, in fact, get 
those loans to keep their employees hired.
  And, likewise, those small businesses who are involved in Government 
contracts, they are unable to meet their obligations because they are 
not getting paid. Businesses that rely on contracts for services with 
the Small Business Administration are at a risk during this shutdown. 
In fact, several businesses who are awaiting payment from the Small 
Business Administration are closing their doors. That may not be 40,000 
employees, ladies and gentlemen, it may amount to hundreds of 
thousands. And the reason is because this country is filled with 
independent entrepreneurs who I am so very proud of who are trying to 
work.

  So I would ask the leadership, the Republican leadership, join me 
with this continuing resolution. It is offered 

[[Page H129]]
in a bipartisan effort. We have over 40 Members who have joined already 
to cosponsor a resolution that would open the Government, stop the 
bleeding, stop the loss of money, but let us continue to debate whether 
we cut Medicare and Medicaid, whether we cut the education loans, 
whether we cut in the environment, but open the Government so we are 
not losing $50 million a day.
  This funds the Government at 90 percent. It allows people to be back 
at work doing the nursing home inspections that they are entitled and 
must be responsible to do, opening the national parks, opening the 
monuments, taking down the image internationally that the Government is 
shut down. Our embassies have had to send out letters to ensure our 
foreign governments that we are, in fact, not a government in crisis or 
revolution. This should not be.
  And let me remind my colleagues that under the Constitution we are to 
work with the three branches of government, and we must work with the 
President and this House and the Senate. Let us work together, pass 
House Joint Resolution 155, and allow us to open this Government up. It 
is most important. House Joint Resolution 155. Let us pass it and open 
the Government.

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