On the recordSeptember 28, 2013
I have been listening to this debate, and we are not coming to grips with what the central issue is. The bottom line is we understand that on this side we have people who believe the ObamaCare legislation will be very detrimental to the people of the United States. We have people on this side of the aisle who believe it will be very good for the people of the United States. How do we work this out in a democratic process? We try to find a compromise. This bill is not about whether ObamaCare is going to come in or not. What we are voting on is whether or not you will accept the compromise which we have reached out to offer to say, look, there's apprehension in the private sector and the government people tell us they aren't even ready to enforce ObamaCare; let's postpone it for a year. That's what this vote is all about: Will you accept the compromise? If this government shuts down, it's because you have not accepted the compromise that Republicans have reached out to you and offered. We have to understand, in this democratic process it's not like the President says: There will be no negotiations, no negotiations. He will negotiate with foreign dictators before he will negotiate with us. We have reached out with a compromise. Please accept the compromise and keep the government open. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair would once again remind Members to address their remarks to the Chair and not to others in the second person.
