Continuing Resolution

Floor Speech

Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to put America first and pass a bipartisan spending plan to prevent a government shutdown.

As the daughter of a small business owner, I learned at an early age that it's impossible to succeed without smart planning and reliable funding. Let's keep this lesson in mind.

Millions of Americans will be left hanging if the government shuts down. Benefits for veterans could be delayed; approval of small business loans would be suspended; and the National Institutes of Health and Centers for Disease Control, which monitor disease, may be forced to scale back their services, leaving us vulnerable to a health crisis.

One of the last government shutdowns in this country cost taxpayers $800 million, including $400 million in lost revenue collected by the IRS. We can't afford to go through that again.

It is time to put an end to the partisan games. American citizens aren't chips to be gambled with. Our servicemen and -women, mom-and-pop business owners, and families who show up for America every day deserve a government that shows up for them.

Let's stop grandstanding and start standing up for the American people by passing a CR.

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