Political Quotes

“I am here with my colleague Senator Van Hollen. The two of us are going to make a unanimous consent request to reopen the government. I know the distinguished majority leader is here. We are on day 25 of this tragic, outrageous, needless, and dangerous partial shutdown. Senator Van Hollen and I have met with government workers, and we heard their account. They can't pay their bills. Mortgages are going without payment. I heard yesterday from a Federal worker who can't pay their children's extra activities at school for dance lessons. They can't help their relatives deal with their problems. They are postponing needed health treatment issues. I read last week on the floor of this body a letter from Kristen Jones and Brad Starkey, air traffic controllers who explained how they can't take care of their family needs. So 800,000 people are furloughed without pay or working without pay--30 percent are veterans. Small businesses are shuttering their operations because they depend upon government workers for their business. From cleaners to restaurants, they are finding they don't have the business they used to have. Kevin Hassett, Chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, indicates the economic impact is $1.2 billion a week on our economy. We heard that small businesses have to lay off employees because they are not getting their Federal partnerships. I used the example of the Senior Services of America.…”