[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 19 (Tuesday, February 13, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E196]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          H.R. 2963, THE KEEP THE GOVERNMENT OPEN ACT OF 1996

                                 ______


                          HON. CARRIE P. MEEK

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 13, 1996

  Mrs. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, the recent shutdown of the Federal 
Government wasted 1 billion taxpayer dollars. In January Congress 
passed and the President signed a continuing resolution that paid 
285,000 Federal employees who were not able to work between December 16 
and January 5 because of the 3-week lapse in appropriations for part of 
the Federal Government. This shutdown also imposed a serious financial 
hardship on many of the 476,000 Federal workers who were not paid 
during this period even though they were working.
  The shutdown of the Federal Government hurt many private firms, both 
those that normally sell to Federal employees and those that have 
Federal contracts. They were unable to recoup the business lost during 
the shutdown.
  Last week I introduced a bipartisan bill to prevent such harmful 
consequences if there should be another lapse in appropriations in the 
future. H.R. 2963, the Keep the Government Open Act of 1996, amends 
that Anti-Deficiency Act to permit Federal employees to continue to 
work and to be paid during a lapse in appropriations, if the President 
determines that a sufficient appropriation is likely to be made before 
the end of the fiscal year.
  The other original consponsors of this bill are Mr. Davis, Mr. Hoyer, 
Mr. Moran, Ms. Norton, and Mr. Wynn.
  I urge my colleagues to support this insurance against another 
failure to enact appropriations bills or continuing resolutions for the 
entire Government.

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