Sequestration and the Tobyhanna Army Depot

Floor Speech

Mr. MARINO. Last week, thousands of my constituents felt even more pain as a result of the President's sequestration when Tobyhanna Army Depot began to furlough over 5,000 of its civilian employees.

One constituent called my office and asked, ``How are we supposed to afford our mortgage if my husband is not allowed to work? There must be a more logical way to cut the budget.''

Well, Mr. Speaker, that is what I would like to know. Why can the President jet around the country to play golf on the taxpayers' dime when the hardworking families cannot make ends meet?

The House acted twice last year to replace the sequestration with more commonsense solutions, but the Senate refused to consider these bills. They even rejected a measure that would have given the administration more flexibility in implementing these cuts.

Because of the President's insistence and the Senate's inaction, these families will now face even more financial uncertainty, struggling to pay their bills instead of earning a steady paycheck.

Mr. Speaker, the people of the 10th Congressional District have had enough of the President's rhetoric, and they have certainly had enough of his sequestration. It's time that the President started working for the American people.

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