Chuck Grassley: “I am here to visit with my colleagues about the Social Security bill that is before the Senate, but before I do that, I…”

“I am here to visit with my colleagues about the Social Security bill that is before the Senate, but before I do that, I would like to give my point of view from past shutdowns of the Federal Government and why the shutdown of the Government is a bad idea. Usually, people approach shutting the Government down because they have some big scheme they want to accomplish, and they will accomplish it during the negotiations to opening up the Government or accomplishing from the threat of shutting down the Government. What I have found in past instances when that has been tried: You shut the government down. You open the government up. And that Member or Members have not accomplished the goal that they wanted to accomplish. It costs money to shut the Government down. It costs money during this week to get ready to shut the Government down. And after a period of time of a day or, at the most, 35 days, about 6 or 7 years ago, Government opens up, and it costs money to open the Government up. The Government is supposed to be a service for the American people, and you can't serve the American people when the Government isn't operating. So I hope that something can be accomplished today or tomorrow so the Government stays open.”