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Pay Our Guard and Reserve Act

Floor Speech

Date: Oct. 3, 2013
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Government Operations Government Budget and Spending

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Mrs. LOWEY. Madam Speaker, I rise with great respect for Chairman Young. However, I rise in strong opposition to this reckless Republican shutdown.

Of course we support the National Guard and Reserves. The House already passed a full-year funding bill for the Guard and Reserves in July under the auspices of Chairman Young and our extraordinary ranking member, Mr. Visclosky; but this bill is inadequate, and it's the wrong action at this time.

Our troops need training and equipment--two key components absent from this bill. This measure does nothing to help the CIA, the FBI, the DEA, the Secret Service, or the Immigration and Customs Enforcement. This is critical to our Nation's defense.

We could end the shutdown today if the majority would only allow a vote on the Senate-passed bill, which includes the funding levels that the Republicans support and that would be signed by the President. Then we could get to work, as our ranking member said, on a complete bill, an omnibus bill, through the regular order of the Appropriations Committee.

The House majority, apparently, can't take the heat from the fire that they've lit, so now they've put forward this reckless political attempt to shift blame for their shutdown. Ending the shutdown of our government couldn't be more simple: stop playing games and pass the reasonable bill that the Senate and the White House have already agreed to. Madam Speaker, it's time for the Republicans to stop opposing reasonable solutions and to end their shutdown. Allow a vote on the Senate bill.

I have served in this Congress for many years with the distinguished ranking member, Mr. Visclosky, and the chairman, Mr. Bill Young. I am embarrassed to go home to my constituents in my district and talk to them about the dysfunction due to the Republican shutdown of this government. There are people who don't have child care. There are people who don't have health care. There are people who are suffering, who are having trouble paying the rent. Let us open this government and get our work done.

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