Government Shutdown in the Golden State

Floor Speech

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Mrs. NEGRETE McLEOD. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, with each day that passes that the Nation is in government shutdown, we put the very livelihood of Americans and the economy in uncertainty: like the over 3,800 Federal employees who live in the 35th Congressional District, these are all hardworking men and women in the Federal Government workforce; like the constituent who wrote us asking why death benefits for veterans were not being paid out; like the dairy owner that called this very morning and wanted to know why they had not received money that was owed to them from the Federal Government.

These are just a few of the cases that are going on in my district; and while progress has been made in the Nation's economic recovery from the greatest recession since the last depression, the Federal Government's shutdown hampers that very recovery. The shutdown sends a bad message to the business community, that government is unreliable.

The 35th District's constituents are not being helped by the Small Business Administration because of the shutdown. The SBA is currently approving zero general small business, real estate, and equipment loans. This hurts the economic development of California's 35th Congressional District.

Last year, the SBA approved almost $500,000 a day in small business, real estate, and equipment loans in my district. This money enabled job growth and benefited the community by spurring economic development in the region. This equates to more than $1 billion not currently being lent to small businesses across the country in 1 month. Businesses in my district, the State, and across the Nation are losing money every day because of the government shutdown. We should be helping businesses start up and grow. We should be doing everything we can to grow jobs and grow our economy. Congress should not be an impediment that slows prosperity in America.

Without a solution to the Federal Government shutdown, low-income women and children will suffer without programs that Congress fought hard to secure. Federally funded programs like the Women, Infants, and Children program, commonly known as WIC, is at risk of having its funding diminished under a government shutdown. WIC provides nutrition education and healthy foods, enabling families to make lifelong healthy eating and lifestyle choices.

In California alone, 1.5 million low-income women and children will be impacted should Congress not act to end this shutdown. This is at a time when 27 percent of California's children are considered to be food insecure, children lacking access to enough food or nutritionally adequate food.

Letting a government shutdown occur when children's nutrition is at risk is irresponsible. Let us be part of the solution and end political gamesmanship that hurts average Americans. Let us feed America's hungry children. Let us get businesses back to business and help America prosper.

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