End the Charade and Reopen the Government

Floor Speech

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Mr. NEGUSE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as the son of refugees, and the first Eritrean American to be elected to the House of Representatives.

My father, who immigrated to this country 35 years ago, sat in this same Chamber up there in the gallery only a week ago to watch his son be sworn into the people's House.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a simple, solemn, and serious request: that this administration stop its demonization of immigrants and reopen the government.

The administration has manufactured a crisis based on fear and is now holding our government effectively hostage, blatantly causing harm to the economic security of American families across the Nation.

Bruce, a constituent in my district, had to close down his small business in Estes Park as a result of the shutdown. As Rocky Mountain National Park remains closed, small businesses have continued to struggle under this burden.

Countless workers in my district--Federal lab workers, national park employees, national firefighters, weather forecasters, and many others--have been furloughed or are working without pay, and $700 million in national parks' revenue in Colorado has been threatened.

Mr. Speaker, enough is enough.

Mr. President, end the charade and reopen the government now.

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