January 11, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 6 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Page H468]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   SHUTDOWN AFFECTING FEDERAL WORKERS

  (Ms. WEXTON asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. WEXTON. Madam Speaker, today is payday for Federal workers, but 
instead of receiving a paycheck, many, including thousands of my 
constituents, will be going without.
  I had a visit from a constituent yesterday who is an air traffic 
controller at Washington Center in Leesburg, Virginia, one of the 
busiest air traffic control centers in the Nation. She worked 80 hours 
over the past 2 weeks and received a paycheck for zero dollars. You 
can't pay your mortgage with zero dollars. You can't buy groceries with 
zero dollars. You can't pay your medical bills or fill up your gas tank 
with zero dollars.
  Madam Speaker, Federal employees want to go back to work. They 
believe in their mission and want to provide quality services for the 
American people. They shouldn't have to sell off their belongings or 
return their children's Christmas presents just to make ends meet. They 
shouldn't have to wonder how they are going to survive.
  Our national parks are filling up with trash. Many TSA security 
screeners can't afford to commute to work. The FDA is not inspecting 
our food supply.
  Our hardworking Federal employees are doing their jobs. It is time 
for President Trump and Senator McConnell to do theirs.

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