[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 10]
[House]
[Pages 14955-14956]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Jeffries) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. JEFFRIES. Mr. Speaker, I rise in this institution after spending 
6 years in the New York State Legislature. It was a very meaningful 
experience for me, notwithstanding the fact that the

[[Page 14956]]

legislature in New York is sometimes derided as one of the more 
dysfunctional bodies in the country; but after witnessing the last few 
days here in the House of Representatives, it is clear to me that there 
is no more dysfunctional place in this country than the House of 
Representatives under the current majority control.
  This is a manufactured crisis that has unnecessarily plunged us into 
a painful government shutdown, a shutdown that will harm the American 
people. The House majority has placed children in jeopardy--tens of 
thousands shut out of the Head Start program. The House majority has 
placed seniors in jeopardy--unable to benefit from the Meals on Wheels 
program, partially funded by the Federal Government. The House majority 
with this government shutdown has placed expectant mothers in jeopardy 
and individuals who are now unable to get the nutritional assistance 
that might otherwise be available. You have placed veterans in 
jeopardy, Mr. Speaker. The House majority has placed families in 
jeopardy--more than 800,000 hardworking civil servants cast out onto 
the streets, with the uncertainty to determine when they may be able to 
pay their bills. The House majority with this government shutdown has 
placed the economy of the American people in jeopardy.
  Enough is enough.
  I am trying to figure out who actually is in charge, Mr. Speaker. Are 
you in control of your conference on the other side of the aisle? Is it 
the Tea Party that is in control of the House of Representatives 
agenda? Is it outside agitators or the junior Senator from Texas who 
barks out orders on the other side of the aisle, and then they're 
executed in lockstep by the extremists here in the House of 
Representatives? Mr. Speaker, who is in charge? Who is responsible on 
your side of the aisle for marching us down this dangerous path?
  I have also been struggling in trying to figure out why you are so 
angry about the Affordable Care Act. What is it that you are so upset 
about? Are you angry about the fact that tens of millions of previously 
uninsured Americans will have access to health care? Are you upset 
about the fact that the law will prevent discrimination against 
individuals, including children with preexisting conditions? Are you 
angry about the fact that the Medicare part D doughnut hole will be 
closed and that seniors all across America will have access to more 
robust prescription drug coverage? Are you angry about the fact that 
young people in a difficult economy can stay on their parents' health 
insurance plans until they are the age of 26? What exactly are you 
upset about? Are you angry about the fact that small businesses will 
have access to tax credits--as much as 35 percent--in order to insure 
their employees in a manner that will help these small businesses grow 
and prosper?
  Enough already.
  The Affordable Care Act is the law of the land. It was passed by a 
duly elected Congress in 2010 with the great leadership of Nancy Pelosi 
and Harry Reid. You have lost legislatively, Mr. Speaker. The 
Affordable Care Act was determined to be constitutional by the Supreme 
Court of the United States of America in an opinion written by Chief 
Justice John Roberts, an individual nominated by George W. Bush. You've 
lost legally. Then the President of the United States of America was 
reelected last November in an electoral college landslide. You have 
lost politically, Mr. Speaker.
  Enough already.
  Why are we in this situation? I would simply ask that we pass a clean 
CR and get back to doing the business of the American people.

                          ____________________