Dan Kildee: “We have a lot of differences on this floor, and we are supposed to have differences. That is why there are 435 of us.…”

“We have a lot of differences on this floor, and we are supposed to have differences. That is why there are 435 of us. Unfortunately, those differences have not been reconciled, and the Federal Government has been closed now in its third day. It is not helpful, however, today or in the coming days, as we try to resolve these differences, for Members to take to the floor and impugn the integrity of one another. It is not helpful, for example, for the President of the United States, through his campaign at his direction, to run television ads that accuse Democrats who oppose the budget measure of being complicit in murder. It is not helpful for the Vice President, overseas, in front of troops who serve this country with honor and dignity, to make a partisan speech accusing Democrats of not having their back. It is not fair to have Members come to this floor and suggest that those troops won't be paid when that Member knows that is not true. Let's reason together. Let's treat one another with some dignity and bridge the gap that exists between us. ____________________”