OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2019

Floor Speech

Date: Jan. 15, 2019
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: National Security Government Operations

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Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.J. Res. 27.

I thank Ranking Member Granger for allowing me to speak on this very important issue, and I thank my distinguished colleagues on the other side of the aisle. Mrs. Lowey is a friend from New York. We have served together.

Madam Speaker, this situation is frustrating. We have come to a place right now where I received a phone call last night from the Commandant of the Coast Guard, Admiral Schultz. We talked about the wonderful men and women who are serving so well and so hard and who are not going to get a paycheck because of this situation.

We all want border security; I believe that. But I also believe that President Trump is right, that we need a wall, a barrier.

I happen to represent the people of the Third District of Tennessee-- wonderful people, east Tennessee--and they tell me time and time again: Build a wall; have a border; keep us safe; but we also want the government open.

And when I look at the polling data, when I look at the phone calls, it is high time that we get back to work, open the government, but keep us safe.

In our districts, we all represent Republicans and Democrats and Independents. Hopefully, most of the people vote. But even people who pay their taxes who decide not to vote, they count on the American Representatives, our House, to work, and they count on the Senate.

With all due respect, H.J. Res. 27 is dead on arrival in the United States Senate. We know that. The American people know that. The President knows that. We need a compromise on this wall issue right now that will satisfy security, that will keep the American people safe, and, yes, that will open the government.

Compromise is not a dirty word in this scenario. It is what we need to do, and we need good faith. I am not alleging bad faith on anyone in this body. I am saying it is time to call a timeout and get back to work and do the people's business.

They sent us here to govern. We need to govern. We need a wall. We need border security, and we need the government open. It is high time that we get there

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