[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 17 (Monday, January 28, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H1234]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
NO MORE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWNS
(Ms. JACKSON LEE asked and was given permission to address the House
for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, last Friday the 25th of January, 2019,
was a day of celebration for 800,000 Federal workers. They joined me at
the Federal office building which my office is in, and we stood
together listening to their pain and their stories of trying to
survive. Many said: We don't want to be held hostage again.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to say that no Federal employee over a
policy question should not be paid. And as we have been saying, open
the government and pay the workers. That same day, I went out to visit
TSO officers and air traffic controllers.
When I came back today, I stopped to speak to air traffic
controllers, and I thanked them and said, America now knows for all of
the Federal workers what great patriots and servants of the Nation that
they are. We must thank them.
I want to say to the officer who asked me about his pay being frozen
that I hope Republicans will join Democrats in raising that pay to 2.6
percent. This is my answer to you, that we will pay you, and we will
increase your pay.
As I close, Mr. Speaker, I want to offer sympathy and concern for
five Houston police officers who have just been shot. I offer my
prayers and concern and sympathy for their families, and a speedy
recovery during this time.
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