I am sick of hearing of this shutdown called anything other than a Democrat shutdown.

I am concerned about the pain that will be coming even worse for Mayor Bryan and Ms. Eberly and other private concessioners.

We have offered four bills to fund the entire government, rejected by the Senate-controlled Senate.

Mr. Speaker, as we all are well aware, a lot of emotion is in this Chamber and in this body at this time, and maybe that is the way it should be. We remember back to the first Constitutional Convention that it almost shut down as well…

But I also think about the 59-year-old woman in Jackson, Michigan, who calls my office in tears, a single mother...

I appreciate the fact of concern from my colleagues on the other side of the aisle that we treat Federal employees like human beings as well.

The fact that Head Start kids in my district, including in Beloit, Wisconsin, where, the day after I was there visiting, a bullet went through their window--it is in a pretty tough neighborhood. The fact that they are going to not have…

I just want to clear the record. I don't think there is a single person here who would say they relish the shutdown.

It is time for us to stand together and ask the Senate and the President to show leadership and negotiate to a solution.

Though I believe, very clearly, leadership on the other side of the aisle relishes this shutdown taking place and the pain that it brings about for political reasons.

The fact that veterans may not get benefits because we are holding our breath right now in Congress is pretty disgusting to me.