[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 3 (Friday, January 5, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H190]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           TOP 10 REASONS FOR REPUBLICAN GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

  (Mr. ENGEL asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, from the home office in Bronx, NY, the top 10 
reasons why House Republicans shut the Government down: No. 10, they 
are not essential. No. 9, they never liked the Washington Monument 
anyway. No. 8, if Medicare can wither on the vine, why should not 
Federal workers? No. 7, furloughed employees will have more time to 
read Time magazine's Man of the Year story. No. 6, it does not matter 
whether people work or not; Republicans have been gutting worker 
protection laws all year long. No. 5, the CR to reopen the Government 
will contain a clause allowing the Speaker to leave the President's 
plane by the front door. No. 4, Republicans say furloughed workers will 
not dare to bitch when we give a tax break to the rich. No. 3, the EPA 
will not be able to monitor the hot air coming from the freshman House 
Republican caucus. No. 2, Republicans are writing a new poem entitled, 
``If Government Can Be Shut, Then Medicare Can Be Cut.''
  And the No. 1 reason why House Republicans have shut the Government 
down: To give more time for furloughed workers to return those unwanted 
Christmas gifts.

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