On the recordDecember 20, 2018
The House and Senate Democrats and Republicans of the Appropriations Committee have worked hard and long to come up with bipartisan legislation to meet the needs of the American people. Right now, we are in the midst of Congress delaying. The market is down almost 5 points for this and other reasons. This is not the time for us to shut down the government. We have a product developed in a bipartisan way for the reasons described by the Clerk, who read it, and it is privileged because of the time of the year, because of the extent of the concern that the American people have, and because of the harm that will be done to them if the government shuts down. It would be totally irresponsible. That is why I consider it a privilege to rise to say: Let's keep the government open by passing this bipartisan legislation first introduced by Congresswoman Lowey, our distinguished Democratic leader on the Appropriations Committee. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair is prepared to rule. The text presented proposes legislative language to continue funding for certain elements of the U.S. Government. The text, by proposing legislative language unachievable by a simple resolution, does not qualify as a question of the privileges of the House. For what purpose does the gentlewoman from California seek recognition?
