[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 190 (Friday, December 20, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S7248]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                           Government Funding

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I am here to visit with my colleagues 
about the Social Security bill that is before the Senate, but before I 
do that, I would like to give my point of view from past shutdowns of 
the Federal Government and why the shutdown of the Government is a bad 
idea.
  Usually, people approach shutting the Government down because they 
have some big scheme they want to accomplish, and they will accomplish 
it during the negotiations to opening up the Government or 
accomplishing from the threat of shutting down the Government. What I 
have found in past instances when that has been tried: You shut the 
government down. You open the government up. And that Member or Members 
have not accomplished the goal that they wanted to accomplish.
  It costs money to shut the Government down. It costs money during 
this week to get ready to shut the Government down. And after a period 
of time of a day or, at the most, 35 days, about 6 or 7 years ago, 
Government opens up, and it costs money to open the Government up.
  The Government is supposed to be a service for the American people, 
and you can't serve the American people when the Government isn't 
operating. So I hope that something can be accomplished today or 
tomorrow so the Government stays open.