Disapproving the President's Proposal to Take An Action Relating to the Application of Certain Sanctions with Respect to the Russian

Floor Speech

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Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Thank you, Madam President.

I join my colleagues today in calling for a simple, commonsense solution to one of the most vexing, unnecessary, and avoidable crises in recent history.

The present paralysis of Agencies' essential governmental functions is intolerable and unacceptable. It is shameful and embarrassing to every Member of this body, but it should be most shameful and embarrassing to the Chief Executive of the United States, who is singularly responsible for it by insisting on a wall and agreement to it as a condition for reopening the government.

President Trump is singlehandedly blocking progress toward providing the American people with the services and the essential public functions they need and deserve.

The impact is on the consumers of those functions. We are all consumers. We all fly and depend on the air traffic controllers and the TSA. We all eat food and depend on inspections by the FDA. We all consume drugs, and the approvals of essential pharmaceutical medicines are vital to all of us. We all need and deserve the protection provided by the U.S. Coast Guard, whose brave men and women are receiving no pay--none.

Many of those 800,000 workers going without pay are also working without pay. I have sponsored a measure that will enable them to avoid foreclosures and repossessions of their cars and other financial crises through measures similar to the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. I have sponsored and supported calls for providing them with unemployment compensation. The ones who work need the compensation and the benefits to put food on the table and make sure they stay in their homes.

These 800,000 workers are experiencing real pain. They are real people with real lives going through financial hardships.

On Monday, I met with many of them at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks. I heard them share their personal stories about how the shutdown is causing them real harm. I also heard about their dedication to doing their job and how the air controllers and----

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Mr. BLUMENTHAL. The TSA are overtired and need that help.

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Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Let me just finish by citing Adrian Pellot, one of those workers whom I met on Monday. Adrian is a behavior detection officer. He has done it for more than a decade. He is one of those workers going without pay. I will just leave you with this thought. He told me:

We have no income right now. We're bleeding money. Just day-to-day things. Food. I still have to pay the bills.

So do all of those 800,000 workers.

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