[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 134 (Wednesday, October 2, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1417]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              H.J. RES. 70, H.J. RES. 71, AND H.J. RES. 72

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JAMES R. LANGEVIN

                            of rhode island

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, October 2, 2013

  Mr. LANGEVIN. Mr. Speaker, this shutdown is already affecting 
millions of Americans, and the bills before us today represent a 
recognition of that fact. What they most certainly do not represent is 
a solution.
  A small group of radical Tea Party Republicans has forced this 
shutdown on my constituents, on hundreds of thousands of federal 
employees and their families, on the businesses who depend upon them as 
customers, and on countless visitors to our nation's most treasured 
sites. Now, these same Republicans are being faced with the real-world 
consequences of their actions: World War II veterans blocked from 
visiting the memorial built in their honor. Communities losing millions 
of dollars in tourism activity each day. Our nation's capital at risk 
of suspending basic municipal services.
  These are all devastating impacts, and they are among the many 
reasons my Democratic colleagues and I have worked so hard to prevent a 
shutdown. But these piecemeal bills are not a serious or honest attempt 
to reopen our government. They are merely an attempt to put a Band-aid 
over some of the most visible and unpopular fallout from the shutdown, 
while doing absolutely nothing to get us closer to a real solution.
  These bills would not help the 800,000 dedicated public servants who 
have been furloughed, leaving them with mortgages, student loans, car 
payments and no paycheck. In Rhode Island, these furloughed employees 
include hundreds of civilians at Naval Station Newport, airline safety 
inspectors from the FAA, civilian technicians from the Rhode Island 
National Guard, and staff at the U.S. Attorney's office, the IRS and 
the EPA.
  These bills would not help my constituents who are trying to apply 
for disability benefits from the Social Security Administration. They 
would not help the dozens of children with cancer who have been turned 
away from clinical trials at NIH. They would not help the millions of 
mothers who cannot afford baby formula without assistance from the WIC 
nutrition program. They would not help the small business owners who 
can no longer receive loans from the SBA. They would not help the 
thousands of children whose Head Start classes will be canceled as 
early as this week.
  What these bills would do is merely prolong a disastrous situation. 
There is no doubt that the District of Columbia, our National Park 
system and most certainly our veterans are worthy of our attention and 
support. But what the Republicans are doing is using them all as pawns 
in a dangerous political game that leaves everyone else to fend for 
themselves.
  I want to make sure the American people know that Democrats have 
offered repeatedly to support a clean Continuing Resolution which funds 
the government until November 15 at the rate the Republicans proposed--
a rate which is lower than many of us would like but that we are 
willing to accept in order to achieve compromise and end this 
stalemate. This CR will allow us to completely reopen government and 
get back to work on the longer-term fiscal issues that demand our 
attention. And this CR has already been passed by the Senate and sits 
waiting in the House, if only the Republican Leadership would agree to 
allow us to vote on it.
  Mr. Speaker, all Americans are impacted by this shutdown, and all 
Americans deserve our support to end it. A piecemeal approach is not 
the answer. Let us vote on a clean CR and get our constituents, our 
economy and this Congress back to work.

                          ____________________