End the Nightmare

Floor Speech

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, the worst-kept secret in Washington, D.C., is there is a majority in the House of Representatives to reopen the government today, to reach that grand compromise that Father Conroy spoke about a few minutes ago.

Over 30 House Republicans have said that they would join Democrats to pass a clean CR, which the President has said he would sign on the spot. It has already cleared the Senate, and we could end the damage that is being inflicted on this country every passing day.

Day 14 is where we are today. Our National Guard, our veterans, Meals on Wheels--the list goes on and on--the National Institutes of Health, they are being crippled in this shutdown; and the power is here in this Chamber to end it by signing a discharge petition which was filed on Saturday morning.

If the Speaker won't bring the bill to the floor, then the Members should do it. We are elected to represent the people of our district, not to represent the leaders of our caucus.

End the shutdown. Sign the discharge petition. End the nightmare that this country is going through.

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