On the recordOctober 2, 2013
I ask unanimous consent to speak for 10 more minutes. Mr. President, it is not just our current workforce that is impacted by this stalemate. The government shutdown is also threatening to shut the door at Head Start classrooms. This month, grants for 22 Head Start providers are scheduled to be renewed. These are simply continuations of existing grants. The providers have already enrolled children. But after a shutdown, this funding will be cut off. As a result, 18,000 children and families that those programs serve are going to be losing access to early childhood education services this month--this month-- this month. As I said, I could go on and on, but I just wanted to point out how people are being affected by this shutdown. It may not be visible to all, but it is there, and it is hurtful to them and their families and to our country. This shutdown needs to stop. It is time for cooler heads to prevail. It is time to end this mindless, damaging, preventable shutdown. There is one simple way to do it. All the Speaker of the House has to do is bring up a clean continuing resolution which is sitting over there right now--bring it to the floor of the House. The votes are there to pass it, and the government will be back in business tomorrow.…
