[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 4 (Wednesday, January 9, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H295]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1030
                      TRUMP'S GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
New York (Ms. Clarke) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. CLARKE of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise today to discuss the 
impact of Donald Trump's government shutdown.
  Today marks the 19th day that the United States has been in a partial 
government shutdown. How did we get here?
  Let's be clear: This government shutdown is not about a border wall.
  Our country is in the midst of a government shutdown because a man 
who has fashioned himself after a banana republic dictator, a con man 
engaging in the proverbial bait and switch, has decided to pickpocket 
the American people for an immoral border wall policy that the American 
people do not support.
  This billionaire bully is intentionally imposing pain, anguish, and 
anxiety on 800,000 Federal workers, including over 14,000 New Yorkers, 
holding them and their families hostage in order to extort billions of 
dollars from the American taxpayer to satisfy a broken promise to his 
supporters that Mexico would pay for his wall. Meanwhile, real lives 
are at stake and hang in the balance.
  On Friday, our Federal workers will face a clear uncertainty without 
a paycheck. Families are struggling to pay for their basic needs, their 
mortgages and rent, groceries, life-sustaining medications, and more 
due to this cruel, vindictive, and senseless shutdown.
  Due to this absurd, mean-spirited government shutdown, many 
hardworking Americans will not receive their tax refunds in a timely 
manner, because the Department of the Treasury and IRS are closed.
  Due to this irrational government shutdown, many families that rely 
on SNAP will struggle to put food on their tables.
  Due to this malicious government shutdown, Federal contractors and 
their employees may never recover from the loss of their investments in 
doing the business of service to our Nation, their employees facing an 
economic crisis that could lead to unemployment, all because Donald 
Trump is running for reelection and he has no regard for the very 
people that he swore to protect and defend.
  Our national parks and monuments are consumed by trash.
  Our Transportation Safety Administration is stretched, with personnel 
on the job unable to afford their meals or the cost of travel to our 
Nation's airports to report for duty.
  This reckless shutdown has placed us all in harm's way by impeding 
the mission of the EPA, lacking the requisite personnel to complete 
critical activities that protect the public health and environment.
  Due to this pointless government shutdown, thousands of hardworking 
Americans all over this country residing in government-funded or 
subsidized properties risk eviction from their homes.
  On our first day in the 116th Congress, House Democrats immediately 
got to work by introducing and passing a complete funding package to 
reopen the government for the people. House Democrats passed 
legislation that honors our responsibility to keep Americans safe while 
securing our borders.
  Let's be clear: Democrats want sensible border security. Democrats 
want commonsense immigration reform.
  So why is the United States in a government shutdown?
  We can all recall that, while on the campaign trail, the current 
occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue promised the American people that 
a border wall is the solution for border security and that Mexico would 
pay for the wall. However, the American people can see the immorality 
of this and did not like his policy of family separation at the border, 
and the Mexican President said, no, he would not pay for the wall.
  Now, to feed his obsession to keep his ill-advised campaign promise, 
he is threatening to keep the government shut down for years.
  Agent 45 is happy to keep hardworking Federal workers from being paid 
for years over an ineffective, immoral, and expensive border wall.
  Trump's government shutdown keeps 420,000 Federal employees, 
including FBI agents, Customs and Border Protection agents, and Forest 
Service firefighters, working without pay.
  Trump's government shutdown caused 400,000 Federal employees from the 
Department of Transportation, the Department of Commerce, and NASA to 
be furloughed, plunging their families into complete uncertainty.
  Instead of funding a $5 billion wall, let's talk about how we can 
invest in real priorities for the people.
  With $30.5 million, case management for immigrant families could 
expand to 25,000 families annually.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to refrain from 
engaging in personalities toward the President.

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