[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 132 (Monday, September 30, 2013)]
[House]
[Page H6049]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 REPUBLICAN-LED HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SHUTS DOWN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

  (Ms. BROWN of Florida asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, this is a real sad day in the 
House of Representatives.
  You know, you can fool some of the people some of the time, but you 
can't fool all of the people all of the time. What happened tonight is 
the Republican-controlled extremists--bullies or hostage-takers--took 
the American Government and our economy hostage to their demands. This 
is a shameful day. This Congress makes the Gingrich Congress look like 
moderates.
  The Republican Party has shut down the United States Government 
because they don't want the American people to have affordable health 
care. Shame on the Republican Party. Shame on you.
  Mr. Speaker, you can fool some of the people some of the time, but 
not all of the people all of the time.The American people know that 
there is a small minority who are controlling the Republican Party in 
the House, and they are acting like bullies . . . or rather hostage 
takers. Taking the American government and our economy hostage to 
demands that will not be met.
  Shame, shame, shame on the Republicans. Here we go again: I have been 
in office for over 20 years and this is the worst, the most extreme 
Congress I have ever worked with. Today's Republican Party make the 
Gingrich era members in the mid 1990's look like moderates.
  The Republican Party has shut down the government because they don't 
like the idea of providing health insurance to ALL Americans. And 
remember: The Affordable Care Act passed both chambers of the United 
States Congress, was signed into law by the President of the United 
States, was upheld by the United States Supreme Court, and received a 
stamp of approval by the American public when they voted to re-elect 
President Obama. It is now time for House Republicans to accept the ACA 
and assist their constituents to receive the many heath care benefits 
that Obamacare offers.
  On this day, the President helped move the country forward with open 
enrollment for the Affordable Care Act, and the GOP moved the country 
backwards by shutting down the government.
  I urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to try and act 
like grown-ups so we can all work together to pass a Continuing 
Resolution to keep our government open to provide the services that our 
citizens pay for and deserve.

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