[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 51 (Friday, April 8, 2011)]
[House]
[Page H2539]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1020
                          GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Arkansas (Mr. Crawford) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. CRAWFORD. Mr. Speaker, I want to add my voice to the growing 
number of Members not only here in this body but also in the Senate 
that are calling on Senator Reid to take action.
  Last week, on Wednesday, 30 freshmen and myself wrote a letter 
imploring Senator Reid to pass a long-term continuing resolution so 
that we could address the bigger issue of our fiscal year 12 budget. We 
said simply: We the undersigned call on you and the Senate to pass a 
long-term continuing resolution, a resolution that hears the calls of 
the American people and makes reasonable, responsible spending cuts. We 
have received nothing from the Senate except denials of the dire 
straits of our Nation's fiscal health.
  Mr. Reid, we are letting you know that we will rally on the Senate 
steps every day until you pass a long-term continuing resolution.
  And that's exactly what we've done every day for the past week. In 
fact, today will be the 8th day, in just a few minutes, that we step 
over to the Senate steps and call on him once again to be a leader.
  On Wednesday of this week, we sent another letter asking Senator 
Reid, if he wasn't willing to lead, to step down and allow someone in 
who would lead. Ninety Members signed that, and we were joined by 
Members of the Senate in that call asking Mr. Reid, simply: Your lack 
of action and absence of leadership is irresponsible.
  Let's take a look at the costs that we face as we are literally hours 
away from a government shutdown. We spend $69 billion a week in 
spending, of which $27 billion is borrowed. We are asking for $61 
billion in cuts--2 percent. Any small business that I know of in this 
economy, if you ask them can you cut 5 percent out of your budget and 
the other option is closing the doors, what do you think they're going 
to do? They're going to find the 5 percent and stay open, keep the 
doors open and stay in business. That's all we're asking at this point, 
a small down payment for the bigger picture that's coming up in fiscal 
year 2012.
  Not to mention our troops. I got a call this morning from a young 
sergeant with four children, serving in a National Guard unit in my 
district that's being deployed in just weeks. And he said, Congressman 
Crawford, we are frustrated. We're angry. We're upset. What's going to 
happen to my family as I go to Afghanistan and they rely on my 
paycheck? And yet the Senate says, no, we're not interested in funding 
the troops for the balance of this year.
  Yesterday, this body took responsible action in funding the troops 
for the balance of this year and funding our government for another 
week until we could address the bigger picture, the balance of fiscal 
year 2011. It is time for Senator Reid to lead, as his title suggests. 
We passed a bill to fund the government. We're asking for leadership on 
the Senate side.
  Mr. Reid, please pass a bill.

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