On the recordOctober 7, 2013
I would like to thank the gentleman from Nevada for chairing this hour tonight. And just as I reflect, Mr. Speaker, on the comments made by those fifth graders, well, I'm glad I'm in tune with them because, you see, through this whole ordeal, I have spoken about people who have narrow agendas, where they're only thinking of themselves and not the totality of the common good in the United States. Because, you see, it's disingenuous and hypocritical to one day vote for a shutdown of the government and the next day show up at the World War II Memorial and stand with the veterans saying this is horrendous what has happened. You can't have it both ways. I did not vote for a shutdown of the government, so maybe I should have been there at the World War II Memorial, saying the things that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have been saying as they voted to shut down the memorial. I want to share a story with you from a young lady in my district just a day or two ago. She's a young mother in Newark, New Jersey. I represent the people of that town. She went to the young fathers program at Rutgers University with her 2-year-old daughter. Due to the government shutdown, this young mother no longer is receiving her WIC benefits. And in desperation, she is reaching out to anyone and everyone for help, as her child literally starves from lack of nutrition assistance. She doesn't know where to go or who to turn to. She feels totally alone.…
