Harold Volkmer: “lunacy still prevails in the House of Representatives under Speaker Newt Gingrich. Since December 15, we have had…”

“lunacy still prevails in the House of Representatives under Speaker Newt Gingrich. Since December 15, we have had Federal employees locked out, cannot go to work. We have Federal employees that are working but are not going to get paid. Now the Republican lunatics are now going to propose that we let the Federal workers go to work, that is fine, get paid, that is fine, but they cannot do anything because they are not going to fund the functions that they are to perform. Lunacy still prevails. Now, it is interesting to me that just last night the Speaker said, ``As a former Army brat, I believe it is morally wrong and indefensible to have Federal workers in the crossfire.'' Yet he has refused to permit a clean resolution to continue the operation of the Federal Government to come forward. We, on this side, have repeatedly, since December 15, asked to take up a clean resolution. Let us put the Government back in operation.”