Work Together to Keep Government Open

Floor Speech

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Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I rise to call attention to the fact that so many--800,000--Federal workers were out of work when the government was shut down, and now, happily, they will be back at work. Soon, all of them will be getting a paycheck.

This was very sad for their families, very sad for their communities where their financial viability is important, and very sad for our economy. Happily, the government is reopened, but not without paying a price.

I was very pleased that last week, on Thursday, so many Members came to the floor to tell the stories of the families affected by the shutdown, and then we had a Special Order and people sought comfort in the fact that we were recognizing the value that our public employees add to our economy and also concern for their well-being.

I want to tell one story that I thought was just so remarkable. Yesterday, I went to help with meals for the families who still have not gotten a paycheck. Even though government is open, it will be a couple of more days. While I was there, I met a woman who seemed young to me, but I guess she must have been middle-aged. They told me, after I was with her for a while, that, on Friday, she would be going to hospice, but it was a comfort to her to spend her last days before hospice feeding the hungry, having empathy for those who had that uncertainty in their lives.

What a blessing she is. Let us all have that empathy for those who are placed in that financial insecurity, and let us work to keep government open, to come to agreement so it can resolve all doubt in anyone's mind that that is not a reasonable path, to seek agreement holding hostage our public employees.

We thank them for what they do for our country. We sympathize with them. At this time, we are happy that government is open. Let's work together to keep it so.

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