On the recordJanuary 22, 2018
As a former police chief, I have seen the effects of good government and I have seen the effects of bad government, and what we have seen over the last few days is bad government. As the party in charge of the Senate, the House, and the White House, the Republican majority has a responsibility to pass a budget that sustains critical services for the American people. Instead, they passed a $1.5 trillion tax giveaway, chose to ignore critical concerns, and push an anti-immigrant agenda. I have seen the horrible outcomes of trying to make one group of people afraid of another. I have seen the results of ignoring the real dangers to America, like racism, gun violence, poverty, and lack of opportunity. We are a nation of immigrants. As leaders of a pluralistic society, we have a responsibility to build a nation with compassion for people. But this shutdown was about more than immigration. It was about our military, our veterans, our seniors, our children, and adequate disaster relief. Mr. Speaker, I will not support a complete absence of leadership. I will continue to fight for real solutions. ____________________
