David Price: “The American people have had enough of this cynical attempt to shift blame for the Tea Party shutdown. Of course we want…”

“The American people have had enough of this cynical attempt to shift blame for the Tea Party shutdown. Of course we want the American people to have access to our national parks, and I wish our Republican colleagues had thought a little bit more about that World War II Memorial before doing what they did last night. Of course we want the D.C. government to continue to function. Why weren't Ms. Norton's compelling arguments given more attention before what our Republican colleagues did last night? Of course we want the Veterans Administrations to resume their operations for those who have worn this country's uniform, although we do not like seeing our veterans used to score political points. What about the thousands of Department of Defense civilians who were told not to come into work today, including those in my district who serve Fort Bragg? What about those EPA scientists in the research triangle who spent today on a community service project instead of conducting important research on air quality or the firefighters across the Nation who depend on FEMA grants to keep their communities safe? What about those Agriculture Department-funded researchers at NC State whose paychecks are running out? What about the NIH researchers at Duke and UNC whose grants are under threat, or those desperately ill people who will now be cut out of NIH clinical trials? The American people deserve a government that works for everybody.…”