[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 81 (Thursday, May 17, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H4149-H4150]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      CANCEL THE AUGUST RECESS 2.0

  (Mr. GALLAGHER asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. GALLAGHER. Mr. Speaker, I stood in this very spot about 1 year 
ago urging Congress to do the work of the American people, the work 
they sent us here to do. I introduced a piece of legislation called the 
Do Your Job Act, which is simple. It would not allow Congress to go 
into recess unless we have actually done our work, passed all of our 
appropriations bills.
  Instead, I fear that we are going to find ourselves in the same 
crisis that we found ourselves in just a few months ago. That is why I 
was glad to see that the President recently said that we should cancel 
the August recess, if necessary, if we can't do our job.

[[Page H4150]]

  In just 2 months, we will once again adjourn for a month-long recess 
without a budget or getting all our appropriations done, to say nothing 
of the other issues that remain unresolved, like immigration--take your 
pick.
  Once again, if we don't make some hard choices, the government may 
shut down. I think that is unacceptable. We know exactly how this plays 
out. We saw it last year, as we careened from one budgetary deadline to 
the next, with one short-term extension after another.
  We simply can't keep repeating these same mistakes over and over 
again. To do so would be the literal definition of ``insanity.''
  So I urge my colleagues: let's put an end to this madness. Let's stay 
here, if necessary, even if that means canceling recess. Let's work 
with a sense of urgency and purpose to better this country, because 
that is what our constituents sent us here to do.

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