Ben Cardin actually said...

"We want to make sure government is open. We want to make sure we do not default on our obligations."

"You know, we do not have the Federal workers who usually come in here and have lunch. I do not know how much longer we can deal with our current situation with the government shutdown."

"We have ten percent of our workforce that works for the Federal Government--ten percent of our workforce. It has had a huge impact on the Maryland economy."

"Thank you for pointing out so frequently on the floor of the Senate, in our caucus, and to the American people the harm being caused to our country as a result of the shutdown of government."