Government Shutdown Prevention Act Of 2011

Floor Speech

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Mr. WALZ of Minnesota. Madam Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is the gentleman opposed to the bill?

Mr. WALZ of Minnesota. I am.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the motion to recommit.

The Clerk read as follows:

Mr. Walz of Minnesota moves to recommit the bill H.R. 1255 to the Committee on House Administration with instructions to report the same back to the House forthwith with the following amendment:

Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the following:

SECTION 1. PROHIBITION ON PAY DURING GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN.

(a) In General.--Members of Congress and the President shall not receive basic pay for any period in which--

(1) there is more than a 24-hour lapse in appropriations for any Federal agency or department as a result of a failure to enact a regular appropriations bill or continuing resolution; or

(2) the Federal Government is unable to make payments or meet obligations because the public debt limit under section 3101 of title 31, United States Code, has been reached.

(b) Retroactive Pay Prohibited.--No pay forfeited in accordance with subsection (a) may be paid retroactively.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Minnesota is recognized for 5 minutes in support of his motion.

Mr. WALZ of Minnesota. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

To stand here in this hallowed place as a Representative, as all of my colleagues, all 435 of us, the incredible privilege and honor to represent the hardworking Americans across this country. In southern Minnesota, the chance to see genuine folks out working hard, doing the things that they built this country and made us the greatest nation on Earth, and one of those things is a very basic premise, the American work ethic. The idea that you should work hard and do your best and be compensated at the end of the day and feel good and a sense of accomplishment in what you did.

We have an opportunity. The American people did send us here, as you heard on both sides of the aisle, to do a very simple thing--to get the work done and move this country forward. The debate is that there are differences in how to do that. That's the strength of this land. It's democracy. But there is one very strong principle that we can reinforce, that work ethic, that if you do not get your job done, you certainly should not be paid. No middle of the night, no if it passes and goes this way. Very simply, the easiest of things to do: If this Congress after being here 4 months--and I don't care where you put the blame--can't get this done by next week and the government shuts down, there will be no chance of a single paycheck going and no retroactive pay. That's the least we owe those hardworking folks. That's the least that we can do here.

I want to be very clear. I understand the majority is having a problem. They've got a debate happening inside their caucus if compromise is a virtue or a vice. They will work that out and decide, because that's what this debate today was about: Where do we compromise for the good of the American public? I come down on the side of compromise.

But with that being said, if we don't get our work done--and I will do everything in my power to ensure we do not shut this government down--the repercussions are catastrophic for Americans, and not just macroeconomically. Our seniors aren't going to get their checks. We're going to see medical care slowed down to our veterans. We're going to hear from and we have heard from our military commanders that it stresses the readiness of this nation. Our Federal workers and even the hardworking staff here will not receive a paycheck.

How do you go home, to Georgia, to Alabama, to Minnesota, look somebody in the eye and say, We failed because we bickered again but, dang, I'm going to take home that check.

So I tell my colleagues, especially the new Members, if you're a freshman in here, you came with an optimism that should not be able to be beaten out of you. Regardless if you disagree with us with every fiber of your being, the very simple principle that if we can't get this done, let's put skin in the game. No if it goes to the Senate and gets passed; no if it's not constitutional.

I offer you the rarest of opportunities today, the first time you've had this chance. If you vote ``yes'' on this motion to recommit, it goes to the President today and becomes law of the land, and no one here will be paid. You can look your constituents in the eye and whoever you blame for it, you can say, I'm not getting a paycheck till we fix this.

So I want to be very clear. This is an opportunity, a rare opportunity. You can vote however you want and decide however you want to balance the budget, but do not allow to play games. It is the bright lights of day, the board is going to come up, and you're going to have the opportunity. Not what's in the underlying bill. That doesn't stop from retroactive pay. And that has to pass the Senate. Mitch McConnell and every Republican already voted for my motion to recommit. So you have the chance to say, all right, I disagree with the Democrats on everything in this bill, but I'm not going to go back to Georgia and tell someone I'm picking up a paycheck and then trying to explain, but I voted for it really, but it was a motion to recommit that I didn't agree with and all of this. Nothing. Simple. Seventy-five words. Half page. Don't do your job, don't get paid. No work, no pay. It is very, very simple.

I yield to my colleague from Virginia.

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Mr. WALZ of Minnesota. Here's your rare opportunity. If you don't do this and you say, ``But I'm going to vote for the underlying bill,'' the gentleman from Georgia said himself, Mr. Woodall, that it would probably not pass the Senate. This is done. There's no more going anywhere. It's going to be done.

I know optimism abounds on April 1. I believe today the Twins are going to win the World Series. I believe that in my all heart. But I wouldn't take the bet or the chance on it. If you want to go back to each of your congressional districts and say, I stand with you to do what's right on the American work ethic. If we don't get done next week, we don't get paid.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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