On the recordOctober 9, 2013
I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum). Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, House Republicans made a purely political choice to shut down our government to advance their agenda. Unbelievably, House Republicans decided to shut down our government with thousands of American servicemen and -women on the battlefields in Afghanistan. We are here today because brave Americans who gave their lives on the battlefield were being denied funeral benefits because of this shutdown. Their families were being denied payments of survivor benefits. This is a disgrace and a shameful consequence of the irresponsible Republican majority. This is an outrage. The fact that we are here today to pass this bill is a clear admission that America's fallen heroes have been abandoned in this shameless political game being played. Passing this bill is absolutely needed, but this bill requires us to recognize the willful failure of the Republican leadership in this House to fund our Federal Government and to provide our servicemen and -women all that they need.
