[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 145 (Monday, October 14, 2013)]
[House]
[Page H6580]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       SHUTDOWN'S RIPPLING EFFECT

  (Mr. SWALWELL of California asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SWALWELL of California. Mr. Speaker, the devastating effect of 
the shutdown is now rippling beyond the Federal workforce.
  Last week it was learned that scientists at Lawrence Livermore and 
Sandia National Laboratory who work as Federal contractors will be 
furloughed this week. This is the largest employer in the 15th 
Congressional District, and their job is to uphold the national 
security mission of the United States, maintain our nuclear weapons 
stockpile, and provide energy security.
  I flew home yesterday to hold a town hall meeting for Sandia and 
Livermore employees, and the room was filled with fear and anxiety 
about how they would meet their bills and obligations and what they 
would do next.
  Enough is enough. The responsible thing to do is to end the 
government shutdown and put back to work our Federal workforce and our 
government contractors.
  I have sent a letter to Secretary Ernie Moniz of the Department of 
Energy asking that we guarantee back pay for the furloughed workers at 
Lawrence Livermore and Sandia National Laboratory.
  This ripple will continue as long as this shutdown goes on. The 
responsible thing to do is to end this shutdown, make sure that the 
cause of science is advanced at Lawrence Livermore and Sandia, and we 
put back to work these hardworking individuals who are serving the 
national mission.

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