We want to welcome back those of you who have been furloughed and express our deep appreciation to all of you in the federal work force.

This plan illustrates what we have been saying all along, that you can balance the budget in 7 years and protect Medicare, Medicaid, education, and the environment and provide tax relief to working families.

We need to rise above partisanship to fashion a sensible solution that is true to our values, honors our obligations to our parents and to our children, and builds a stronger future for our country.

H.R. 1643 enables Federal workers to return to the job and to be paid.

I'm hopeful that we can reach agreement.

The shutdown continues to affect millions of Americans and thousands of businesses.

The problem with this bill is in what it does not do.

Clearly, this bill is only a partial solution to the partial shutdown.

H.J. Res. 153 makes further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 1996.

We can balance the budget and protect all that.

I want to say again this—this is one of the things that came up at our lunch when one of the folks at the table said, 'I thank you for standing firm'—this shutdown does not have anything to do with balancing the budget.

This shutdown is hurting people in every State in America.

Every day we miss in these negotiations is a day we're putting off balancing the budget.

Let's do what our country has always done: Let the Government go on and perform its basic services, and let's get back to work.

Now, these meals are one of the things that are threatened by the shutdown that was forced by the Republicans in the House of Representatives.

I want to thank the Friendship House for the leadership shown in being a true friend to our seniors.

This threat of the shutdown— as much as I hate to see people furloughed, as much as I hate to see people working and not getting paid, as much as I hate to see these young people not getting their homes and these businesses not being…

H.R. 2808 extends authorities under the Middle East Peace Facilitation Act until March 31, 1996.