Government Shutdown

Floor Speech

Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Speaker, this is day three of a completely unnecessary government shutdown. About 800,000 people don't know if they'll have a paycheck at the end of the week. Basic government services are being denied, hundreds of millions of dollars wasted. Moms who count on WIC to feed their kids are being hurt. Head Start providers are closing. Families trying to buy a home are turned away. Small businesses needing loans are told to wait.

This could all end in about 20 minutes if we could just vote on the compromise that already passed the Senate. Is it perfect? No. It funds the government at levels below the budget passed by Democrats in the Senate and proposed by Democrats in the House. It keeps in place the across-the-board cuts triggered by sequestration, which I didn't vote for and do not support. But I am willing to support this bill, this compromise, this so-called clean continuing resolution because we are damaging the country by this shutdown, and we need to reopen the government.

And why is the government shut down? People don't understand this. Well, because some of my colleagues want to defund, delay, and deny the Affordable Care Act.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, we took an oath here. When we were sworn into the office, we took an oath to support the Constitution. And according to the Constitution, when a bill passes both Chambers and is signed into law by the President, it becomes a law. We learned that in basic civics. The Affordable Care Act is a duly-passed, signed by the President, and upheld by the Supreme Court law.

So if you don't like a law, how do you change it? Again, think back to civics. Through the legislative process. Draft legislation, have hearings, mark it up, put it up for a vote. That's how this body ought to function.

How not to change laws? By shutting down the Federal Government. Who on Earth could be proud of what we are doing here? Who could look at this and be proud? I tell you, the American people, in fact people around the world, are watching. They have seen bitterness and rancor, they have heard oversimplification, and a lot of misinformation.

It is time to stop governing by cynicism and crisis. It's time to realize that what is happening here is beneath the dignity of this Chamber and this body. It's time to restore democracy.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, the American people do not deserve this shutdown. There are enough Members of the Republican and Democratic caucuses to open this government right now.

Mr. Speaker, let us vote. Let's pass the Senate amendment to the continuing resolution, let's reopen the government of this United States of America, and let's do it now.

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