[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 14 (Sunday, January 21, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H606]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
THE SCHUMER SHUTDOWN CONTINUES
(Mr. WILSON of South Carolina asked and was given permission to
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, yesterday the editors of
the National Review explained the Schumer shutdown clearly in their
editorial, ``Hang Tough, Republicans.''
In no uncertain terms, Senate Democrats have blocked a bill to keep
the Federal Government running and fund the Children's Health Insurance
Program for the next 6 years. Senate Democrats have made a choice not
to keep the government open.
A government shutdown does not benefit anyone. It causes irreparable
harm to our military. Over 100,000 National Guard members will be sent
home from weekend training, and over 2 million servicemembers will have
their pay disrupted by the Senate Democrats' partisan politics.
As chairman of the Readiness Subcommittee, I know that military
readiness is at risk; yet the government would be fully open for
business if Democrats had not voted against the bill, a bill that has
nothing of substance that they oppose, to get leverage for a policy
they favor.
This Schumer shutdown could have been avoided if Senate Democrats had
prioritized funding at-risk children and troops over political
grandstanding. Sadly, the Democrats' negotiating stance is: Give us
amnesty or we will make the government shut down and blame you
Republicans.
This is an unreasonable position.
Hang tough, Republicans.
In conclusion, God bless our troops, and we will never forget
September the 11th in the global war on terrorism.
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