January 24, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 15 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Page H1195]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HUNDREDS HURT BY SHUTDOWN

  (Mr. AGUILAR asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. AGUILAR. Madam Speaker, we are now in day 34 of the longest 
shutdown in American history.
  Over the course of this shutdown, I have heard from hundreds of 
people in my community who are being hurt by this reckless shutdown. 
Today, I would like to share the story of Graciela, who wrote to me 
from my hometown of Redlands.
  Graciela has worked for the IRS for over 40 years, and her Federal 
job allows her to care for her daughter, who is suffering from thyroid 
cancer. Graciela wrote to me and said: ``Each missed paycheck is 
another 2 weeks that my daughter will go without medication and 
treatment.''
  It is outrageous that, in the face of this type of suffering, real 
human suffering, our President can remain so callous.
  We have voted 11 times to reopen this government, but instead of 
working with us to end this shutdown, the President and Leader 
McConnell continue to move the goalpost and insist on funding for their 
ineffective and wasteful border wall and cuts to legal immigration.
  Our country deserves better than leaders who are willing to hold 
their people hostage.
  Graciela concluded her message to me by saying this: ``The 
President's misconceived notion that this country needs a wall more 
than its own citizens need to go back to work or to be paid for the 
work they are doing is mind-boggling.''
  Madam Speaker, Americans are suffering and deserve better.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to refrain from 
engaging in personalities toward the President.

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