[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 15091]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

  (Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, first, I want to take this 
time to thank our Capitol Police Sergeant at Arms staff, local D.C. 
police that provide for our safety every day. Our prayers go out to 
those injured and involved in today's terrible incident.
  Second, Mr. Speaker, article I, section 9, clause 7 of the U.S. 
Constitution explicitly states that no funds shall be drawn from the 
Treasury without appropriations made by law. This is one of the few 
obligations that Congress must meet annually, and Congress has failed 
to meet that most basic responsibility, which is why I've cosponsored 
the Government Shutdown Fairness Act.
  Mr. Speaker, where I come from, we believe in an honest day's work 
for an honest day's pay. While I continue to cast every vote on this 
House floor in order to keep the government open, it should be morally 
reprehensible for me or other Members of the body to collect a paycheck 
while this lapse of appropriations continues.
  Unfortunately, this gesture will not reopen the government. As we 
continue to work towards ensuring that critical services are made 
available to our Nation and citizens, we remain hopeful that the Senate 
majority leader will see the error of his ways and begin negotiations 
with the House.

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