[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 6 (Wednesday, January 10, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S130-S131]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         THE FEDERAL EMPLOYEES

  Mr. ROBB. Mr. President, let me just say a word, if I may, to what my 
colleagues have already alluded to, some good things that have happened 
in the last few days.
  I would like to say a word on behalf of the many who work for the 
Federal Government--the Federal employees not only in the Washington 
area but around the country and the many others who work for the 
Federal Government.
  We have been through a very difficult period where for some 3 weeks, 
in effect. We told many hard-working, dedicated Federal employees to 
stay home. And they were able to work through this period. Many of them 
came in, many without getting paid, and others who recognized essential 
services that they were providing. But, just at the conclusion of that 
long and very difficult period for many people who work hard on a day-
to-day basis without a great deal of recognition, we had a snowstorm, 
the blizzard of 1996 here on the east coast that pretty well shut down 
everything.
  I know that there has been a great deal of concern in the last day or 
two about when and under what circumstances Federal employees would be 
asked to come back to work. I would simply like to say to all of those 
who have been through a very rough period, and for those other people 
who work with the Federal Government, whether 

[[Page S131]]
they contract with the Federal Government, or whether they are 
dependent upon the effective operation of the Federal Government, thank 
you for your understanding.
  It is certainly my hope that we have all learned a lesson and that we 
will not under any circumstances close down the Federal Government 
under similar circumstances again. It simply was counterproductive and 
costly for everyone.
  I applaud the majority leader for the initiative he took earlier in 
the week to bring that particular chapter to a close. I do understand 
that there are fundamental differences that are still at stake. I 
applaud both the President and the chief negotiators from the Congress 
for the statements that they made yesterday so as not to exacerbate the 
problem, to leave open the prospect that they will be able to find 
common ground, refer to the temporary suspension rather than the 
collapse of those particular talks because there are very significant 
and important issues that I think benefit from the kind of discussion 
and kind of intense focus that they have had during the last few weeks.
  I hope that process will continue. I think it makes sense for those 
who have been locked in what might appear to be mortal combat for a 
period of time to take the period away from the table, away from the 
talks, to have an opportunity to refresh themselves and their minds, 
and get a little different perspective. I hope that they will come back 
ready to work on those essential issues that continue to divide us.
  I hope that all of the Federal employees who have been in all cases 
inconvenienced--in many cases put through some very severe hardship--
will now assist in getting all of the functions of Government back up 
to speed as rapidly as we can.
  Whatever decision is made tonight, I suspect that the Office of 
Personnel Management will announce that the Federal Government will be 
formally open tomorrow. But there are still, clearly, many Federal 
employees, and many other citizens in the area, who are unable to get 
out of their homes, out of their driveways, and find any reasonable 
prospect of getting to work in the way that they would normally get to 
work.
  I hope that Federal managers and Federal supervisors will be 
understanding, but that Federal employees themselves would make that 
little extra effort to catch up on a lot of work that has gone undone 
during the last few weeks. Many people are critically dependent on them 
catching up with the work that needs to be done.
  For all those who are going to be doing it and for those who have 
been both inconvenienced, and in some cases placed at a real hardship, 
I want to say on behalf of I think all of our colleagues on both sides 
of the aisle, we understand what they have been through and we 
understand the inconvenience, we understand what has happened both with 
respect to the budget negotiations as well as the weather. We thank you 
for sticking with us. We hope you will continue to work as hard as you 
can to get us back up to speed and functioning as rapidly as you can.
  With that I thank the Chair and yield the floor, Mr. President.
  Mr. LOTT addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority whip is recognized.

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