Providing for Consideration of the Senate Amendment to H.J. Res. 59, Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014, and Providing for Consideration of H.R. 3210, Pay Our Military Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. NADLER. I thank the gen tle lady for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, we are debating a continuing resolution, a budget. A budget deals with amounts that we appropriate. This budget represents great compromise--$250 billion less than the President first proposed.
But we are told we cannot pass this continuing resolution, we cannot keep the government open unless we repeal or delay the Affordable Care Act, an act which was fought over in the last Presidential election, which was passed by both Houses of Congress, signed by the President. The President campaigned for reelection saying he would implement it; the Republicans said don't. The President and the Democratic Senate were reelected.
We think the Affordable Care Act will help more Americans get affordable health insurance. Republicans don't agree. So they should campaign on it in the next election. If they can get the votes, elect enough Senators, et cetera, repeal it. But that's not what they're doing. They are blackmailing the country. They are saying they will shut down the government, or worse--they will destroy the full faith and credit of the United States in a few weeks if we don't repeal or delay ObamaCare.
This is antidemocratic. It's like a 1930s gangster film--that's a nice government you got there, that's a nice economy you got there; pity if it should happen to blow up if you don't pay us off by giving us what we want.
What if the Democratic majority in the Senate said: we won't approve a continuing resolution; we will shut down the government unless both Houses pass a strong gun control bill, or an immigration bill with a fast track to citizenship? The Republicans would be greatly outraged, would be rightly outraged at that blackmail. But that's what they are doing here today. The minority is blackmailing the majority of the country.
This is subversive to democratic government. Government by blackmail cannot be allowed to destroy the American form of government, which is what this attempt represents. If we give into this, then the minority can rule against the majority. If you want to repeal the Affordable Care Act, elect a President, elect a majority in both Houses, and go do it. But we must not give into this threat to democratic government and transform it into a different type of government. That's why we must pass the continuing resolution without these subversive amendments.
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