Mark Takano: “I thank the gentleman. Now, I would like to recognize the distinguished gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Negrete…”

“I thank the gentleman. Now, I would like to recognize the distinguished gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Negrete McLeod), a Representative from a neighboring district, California's 35th District. I have known Congresswoman Gloria Negrete McLeod, gosh, more than 20 years, when we both began our careers as community college trustees. It is such a great honor to serve alongside her and sit in this Chamber sometimes when we are voting. She sits on the Committee on Agriculture and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, on which I also sit. We are both committed to the huge veterans population that we have in the inland empire of the region of California that we both represent in inland southern California. 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.…”