[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 114 (Thursday, July 14, 2016)]
[House]
[Page H4930]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     UNWILLINGNESS TO WORK HARD AT THE HARD WORK THAT MUST BE DONE

  (Mr. DOGGETT asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. DOGGETT. Mr. Speaker, today Republicans are shutting down this 
Congress for the next 53 days. That is true. Most Americans probably 
won't notice the difference since the Congress has accomplished so 
little this year.
  Last week, Republicans told us this House needed to act on their 
Homeland Safety and Security Act; but this week, they have abandoned 
that act because they were so fearful that it would lead to a 
discussion of gun violence.
  It is much like what happened last year when they had a much-
ballyhooed border security bill that would do as much for the border, I 
guess, as Donald Trump. But at the thought that it might lead to a 
debate about real immigration reform, they shelved it, abandoned it, 
and have long forgotten it.
  When they leave prematurely today, they will have done nothing to 
accomplish a bipartisan response to the spreading Zika virus, which 
yesterday led to the birth of the first child with Zika-related birth 
defects in Texas. Experts say many more are to come. They will have 
done nothing about the lead contamination of families in Flint, nothing 
about justice reform, nothing about the budget.
  There is an unwillingness to cope with the problems American families 
face. They have so many needs. There are so many challenges our country 
faces that we need to work on, but this Congress is totally incapable 
of doing that work.

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