Political Quotes

“So here we are together in the House of Representatives on day 33 of the government shutdown. We have all been back in our districts, and like me, I suspect have all heard from people who are really starting to suffer as a result of this government shutdown: TSA agents, other people essential to our security, other Federal workers, and people who receive food stamps who are wondering whether 2 weeks from now they will be able to feed their children. I don't know about you, but I come back to Washington thinking one thing, which is: We need to stop calling this a government shutdown. That sort of makes it sound like a machine isn't working somewhere. Let's call this what it is. The President's decision to sign no budget until he gets his wall is not a government shutdown. It is taking the happiness, the prosperity, and the opportunity of millions of Americans hostage until he gets his wall. It is not too strong to say that this is torturing millions of Americans with anxiety until the President gets his wall. It is saying to Americans that you will work for weeks, and maybe months, but we won't pay you because he needs his wall. If you are one of the millions of Americans who rely on SNAP benefits so that you can look at your child and know that that child has had nourishment that day, you may not get those benefits because he needs his wall. If you are a contractor, you are not getting any back pay, and I am sorry, because he needs his wall.…”