John Sarbanes: “I rise to make once again a very strong plea for a clean continuing resolution in order to allow the Federal employees…”

“I rise to make once again a very strong plea for a clean continuing resolution in order to allow the Federal employees to go back to work and for the Government to function while the negotiations continue over a 7-year budget plan. The shutdown of the Government ought not to be used as a coercive tactic in order to reach a particular solution with respect to the 7-year budget plan. Unfortunately, that is what has happened. The employees are being used as pawns in this game, in this tragic game. And what is happening now is that you have over 500,000 employees who have been going into their offices and working, but who are not being paid for the period since December 16. You have another 260,000 employees who have been furloughed. So you have a total of almost 800,000 employees not being paid for doing their jobs. Of course, their inability to do their jobs affects citizens all across the country. There is an impact upon the private sector and upon millions of citizens.”