[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 24 (Thursday, February 14, 2013)]
[House]
[Page H514]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               LET'S ACT NOW TO GET RID OF SEQUESTRATION

  (Ms. HAHN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Ms. HAHN. Madam Speaker, when I first came to Congress, I didn't vote 
for that bill that created the threat of sequestration. I thought it 
was a bad idea then, and I think it's a bad idea now. Automatic 
triggers that institute automatic cuts across the board in spending in 
this country are a bad idea. This manmade crisis is now threatening 
both our Nation's economy and our national security.
  Here are just a couple of ways that that would happen. Ten percent of 
the FAA's workforce of 40,000 would be furloughed on any given day, 
resulting in reduced air traffic controllers, longer delays, and 
economic losses for air transportation and tourism. Fewer air traffic 
controllers means fewer flights, which means less tourism, and that 
means fewer jobs in hotels and restaurants--a ripple effect that could 
cripple our economy.
  The Coast Guard would be cut by nearly 25 percent, jeopardizing 
maritime and navigation safety, the safe flow of commerce along U.S. 
waterways, and drastically reduce our ability to fight drug 
trafficking.
  The clock is ticking once again. We cannot take our economy and our 
safety backwards at a time when the American people have worked to 
build it up.
  Let's act now to get rid of this terrible sequestration.

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