January 29, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 18 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Page H1252]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 WORK TOGETHER TO KEEP GOVERNMENT OPEN

  (Ms. PELOSI asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I rise to call attention to the fact that so 
many--800,000--Federal workers were out of work when the government was 
shut down, and now, happily, they will be back at work. Soon, all of 
them will be getting a paycheck.
  This was very sad for their families, very sad for their communities 
where their financial viability is important, and very sad for our 
economy. Happily, the government is reopened, but not without paying a 
price.
  I was very pleased that last week, on Thursday, so many Members came 
to the floor to tell the stories of the families affected by the 
shutdown, and then we had a Special Order and people sought comfort in 
the fact that we were recognizing the value that our public employees 
add to our economy and also concern for their well-being.
  I want to tell one story that I thought was just so remarkable. 
Yesterday, I went to help with meals for the families who still have 
not gotten a paycheck. Even though government is open, it will be a 
couple of more days. While I was there, I met a woman who seemed young 
to me, but I guess she must have been middle-aged. They told me, after 
I was with her for a while, that, on Friday, she would be going to 
hospice, but it was a comfort to her to spend her last days before 
hospice feeding the hungry, having empathy for those who had that 
uncertainty in their lives.
  What a blessing she is. Let us all have that empathy for those who 
are placed in that financial insecurity, and let us work to keep 
government open, to come to agreement so it can resolve all doubt in 
anyone's mind that that is not a reasonable path, to seek agreement 
holding hostage our public employees.
  We thank them for what they do for our country. We sympathize with 
them. At this time, we are happy that government is open. Let's work 
together to keep it so.

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