[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 147 (Wednesday, October 16, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H6608-H6609]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       TIME TO END SHUTDOWN AND GO TO WORK ON LONG-TERM PROBLEMS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Garamendi) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, it is a rather important day today. 
Sometime today or in the next 24 hours, the United States Treasury will 
run out of its ability to borrow money, that is, to roll over its debt, 
to pay all of the obligations that the United States Government has.
  I guess, even this morning, we remain the world's biggest economy. We 
certainly remain the oldest democracy; although, that seems to be 
somewhat in doubt here on the floor of the House of Representatives 
where we don't operate as a democracy. We really operate more as a 
dictatorship, or at least as an oligarchy, in which one or two or a 
handful of people makes the decision for the majority of the House.
  It is a very, very, very important moment that this Nation moves 
towards, the moment in which it, for the first time in its history, 
would default on its payments, default on its debt. We have already 
seen the effects of this. Banks all around the world are selling, that 
is, getting out of America's short-term obligations or those 
obligations, bonds, that are due now or in the next week or so. So they 
are shedding American debt. They are running away from the world's 
reserve currency.
  Why?
  Because this House, the House of Representatives, the people's House, 
is being jerked around, led around by a small contingent of folks who 
is not thinking clearly, who is not willing to understand the import, 
the importance, of the soundness of the American dollar, the importance 
of the full faith and credit of this Nation, of the 200-plus years of 
history where this House, where this government, where the people of 
America have always stood behind its obligations. But that group of 
individuals who is unwilling to be rational, who is the Tea Party 
faction of the Republican Party, seems to want to take this Nation into 
a new era, an era in which the world cannot count on the United States 
of America.
  We are also in the 16th day of the shutdown of the United States 
Government in which the United States Government is only partially 
operating; in which the national parks, with the exception of just 
three, are not open; where the Fish and Wildlife Service's refuges are 
not available to the public, where much of the government is not 
operating. We are in the 16th day. Why? Why are we in this situation?
  When it started 16 days ago, it was to end the Affordable Health Care 
Act, and then it was to modify it, and then it was to change it, and 
then it was to delay it, and now it is not even on the agenda.
  So why are we still shut down?
  There is no reason that is being presented other than what you might 
see in a preschool class with some kid who is too tired and is down on 
the floor, throwing a tantrum, screaming and yelling and trying to stop 
everything. Kid, get your blanket. Get your bottle and take a nap.
  We don't need tantrums around here, but apparently that is the only 
reason the government continues to be shut down, because some 40 or 50 
Members of the Tea Party caucus of the Republican Party are throwing a 
tantrum, led by Senator Cruz.

[[Page H6609]]

  We don't need tantrums; we need cooperation; we need to work 
together. We have got serious problems. The shutdown has created even 
more serious problems and, as we run up to the debt crisis, yet one 
more problem, because 40 or 50 people are throwing a tantrum.
  This is the House of Representatives, 435 of us elected to represent 
the people of America, to do right by them, to do right by this 
Nation's economy, by the working men and women. Even those who are laid 
off because of the shutdown want to work.
  It is time for us to end this. It is time for us to go to work on the 
long-term problems.

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