Ami Bera: “Day No. 3--day No. 3--of a government shutdown that doesn't need to happen. Mr. Speaker, we need leadership, we don't…”

“Day No. 3--day No. 3--of a government shutdown that doesn't need to happen. Mr. Speaker, we need leadership, we don't need the blame game, and yet that is what we are seeing. Republicans blaming Democrats, Democrats blaming Republicans, the House blaming the Senate, the Senate blaming the House, and the House blaming the President. That isn't getting us anywhere. And to the American people, they're not saying: Oh, it's the Democrats' fault or it's the Republicans' fault. They're looking at Congress and saying: Why can't you do your job? Why can't you come together as Democrats and Republicans, bring your best ideas forward and compromise and negotiate? What this House is doing, what Congress is doing, is reckless. It's irresponsible. We need to start putting the American people's interests first because they're the ones that we work for. That's who sent us here. We're not asking anyone to give up their convictions. We all have our convictions, and we all have our districts and the people back home. What we're asking for, the Members in this body, the Republicans and the Democrats, is to think about the country. Now is the time for us to put the American people first. That means we've got to be able to come forward and understand and learn how to listen. It's hurting real people. I'm a doctor by training, and I look at this from the perspective of being a doctor and the American patients.…”