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[Page H607]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New
Hampshire (Mr. Pappas) for 5 minutes.
Mr. PAPPAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to share the stories of hardworking
Granite Staters who are feeling the pain of this shutdown on its 26th
day.
Middle-class families in New Hampshire are suffering because
politicians in Washington can't complete the most basic task of
governing. They are fed up with the gridlock and endless delays. They
are exhausted by the partisan political excuses. They just want us to
do our jobs and reopen the Federal Government.
This weekend, I met with an air traffic controller from Derry. He
told me that his coworkers are not going to be able to pay their
mortgages and keep up with household bills if the shutdown goes on any
longer. He explained that they are intensely proud of the service they
provide to the American people and simply want to do their jobs and get
paid on time. Is that really too much to ask?
Mr. Speaker, let's reopen our government for the sake of every
Federal employee who works tirelessly to keep the traveling public
safe.
Two fire departments in my district, in Goffstown and Hampton, have
applied for SAFER grants through FEMA. They needed the process to begin
in December in order to get approval at town meetings in March. The
shutdown has blocked the review of these applications.
Mr. Speaker, let's reopen our government so local fire departments
and first responders can get the resources they need to protect our
communities.
The spiraling effects of this shutdown are becoming more apparent
each and every day. The Manchester Transit Authority is concerned about
whether they will be able to keep buses running, since they haven't
been able to draw on Federal funds since December.
In addition, crisis centers in New Hampshire haven't been able to
access the funding they typically receive from the Office of Violence
Against Women to assist survivors of sexual and domestic violence. That
is completely unacceptable.
Mr. Speaker, let's reopen our government so people can get to work on
time and local organizations can continue to support victims of crime
and abuse.
The President says this shutdown is necessary to protect the American
people, yet every story I hear in my district demonstrates this
shutdown is making us less safe. The longer our government remains
closed, the less secure our country will be.
Mr. Speaker, this shutdown has shown us the worst of Washington, the
dysfunction and the political gamesmanship that has no regard for
people's lives. But it is also bringing out the very best of people in
my State, their sense of decency and patriotism, their willingness to
lend a helping hand to neighbors in need.
Granite Staters have been banding together to help Federal workers in
a variety of ways, from offering no-interest loans to offering food
donations. The Wood Island Life Saving Station Association is giving
gift cards to Coast Guard personnel in Portsmouth to help them make
ends meet while they work without pay.
People in our communities are coming together to support everyday
Americans who are the victims of this shutdown, so why can't our
leaders in Washington do the same?
To my colleagues from across the aisle, to our colleagues in the
Senate: End this shutdown now. Let's move forward with the people's
business. We need to reopen the government, and we need to do it before
this bad situation gets any worse.
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