[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 5664]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        END THE POLITICAL GAMES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Tennessee (Mrs. Black) for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. BLACK. Mr. Speaker, on a daily basis I listen to the people of 
my district, and they tell me they don't want games and they don't want 
the buck passed. They're sick of the status quo here in Washington. And 
my constituents are sick of the big spending, the big government, and 
the political games. They're sick of Washington doing what's easy.
  Well, we're here today because last year it was easier for the 
Democrats in Congress to not do their job and not pass a budget. Isn't 
that a shame? And we're here because Harry Reid and the Senate 
Democrats want to play political games and defend big spending.
  Yesterday, we passed a bill to protect our troops in the event that 
Harry Reid shuts down the government, and the President then said that 
he would veto this bill. Harry Reid and the President are playing games 
with our troops as well.
  Now the House is leading, and we passed four bills to keep the 
government open and cut spending. And we are going to be here until we 
get our fiscal house in order.
  I stand here today, 9 days after I first joined my colleagues outside 
of the Capitol demanding that Harry Reid act like a leader, and I said 
it then and I will say it now: Harry Reid, get your act together. Let's 
put this country on the right track and move forward.

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