On the recordOctober 2, 2013
Let's face it: the failure of not having a CR is that both sides have failed to negotiate an agreement to keep the government open. Let's hope that the 5:30 meeting this afternoon between Speaker Boehner, Leaders Pelosi, McConnell and Reid, and the President is not a finger-pointing meeting and that it's not a ``my way or the highway'' meeting but, in fact, a constructive way to get an agreement that most of us, Republicans and Democrats, can support. Whether that agreement comes tonight or tomorrow or, God help us, next week or the following week, at some point, the Sun is going to come up. It's going to happen. In the meantime, we shouldn't harm the folks who are in dire need. I strongly support the NIH. I look at Mr. Waxman, my colleague and ranking member on the Energy and Commerce Committee, as the two of us led the effort to double the money for the NIH a number of years ago. We have folks waiting in the queue to participate in lifesaving clinical trials. They have every right to be furious with this body, but we can fix that by passing this bill so that they don't have to wait. Come on. Let's put policy over politics and do this, not for us but for them. Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman), the ranking member on the Energy and Commerce Committee.
