[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 9 (Wednesday, January 16, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H607]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New 
Hampshire (Mr. Pappas) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. PAPPAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to share the stories of hardworking 
Granite Staters who are feeling the pain of this shutdown on its 26th 
day.
  Middle-class families in New Hampshire are suffering because 
politicians in Washington can't complete the most basic task of 
governing. They are fed up with the gridlock and endless delays. They 
are exhausted by the partisan political excuses. They just want us to 
do our jobs and reopen the Federal Government.
  This weekend, I met with an air traffic controller from Derry. He 
told me that his coworkers are not going to be able to pay their 
mortgages and keep up with household bills if the shutdown goes on any 
longer. He explained that they are intensely proud of the service they 
provide to the American people and simply want to do their jobs and get 
paid on time. Is that really too much to ask?
  Mr. Speaker, let's reopen our government for the sake of every 
Federal employee who works tirelessly to keep the traveling public 
safe.
  Two fire departments in my district, in Goffstown and Hampton, have 
applied for SAFER grants through FEMA. They needed the process to begin 
in December in order to get approval at town meetings in March. The 
shutdown has blocked the review of these applications.
  Mr. Speaker, let's reopen our government so local fire departments 
and first responders can get the resources they need to protect our 
communities.
  The spiraling effects of this shutdown are becoming more apparent 
each and every day. The Manchester Transit Authority is concerned about 
whether they will be able to keep buses running, since they haven't 
been able to draw on Federal funds since December.
  In addition, crisis centers in New Hampshire haven't been able to 
access the funding they typically receive from the Office of Violence 
Against Women to assist survivors of sexual and domestic violence. That 
is completely unacceptable.
  Mr. Speaker, let's reopen our government so people can get to work on 
time and local organizations can continue to support victims of crime 
and abuse.
  The President says this shutdown is necessary to protect the American 
people, yet every story I hear in my district demonstrates this 
shutdown is making us less safe. The longer our government remains 
closed, the less secure our country will be.
  Mr. Speaker, this shutdown has shown us the worst of Washington, the 
dysfunction and the political gamesmanship that has no regard for 
people's lives. But it is also bringing out the very best of people in 
my State, their sense of decency and patriotism, their willingness to 
lend a helping hand to neighbors in need.
  Granite Staters have been banding together to help Federal workers in 
a variety of ways, from offering no-interest loans to offering food 
donations. The Wood Island Life Saving Station Association is giving 
gift cards to Coast Guard personnel in Portsmouth to help them make 
ends meet while they work without pay.
  People in our communities are coming together to support everyday 
Americans who are the victims of this shutdown, so why can't our 
leaders in Washington do the same?
  To my colleagues from across the aisle, to our colleagues in the 
Senate: End this shutdown now. Let's move forward with the people's 
business. We need to reopen the government, and we need to do it before 
this bad situation gets any worse.

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