Adriano Espaillat: “I want to first thank the gentlewoman and the Progressive Caucus for organizing this very important Special Order hour.…”

“I want to first thank the gentlewoman and the Progressive Caucus for organizing this very important Special Order hour. It is an important opportunity for us to share stories about how the Trump shutdown is causing real damage in many of our communities and to remind the American people that President Trump is holding government hostage not for some noble cause, but for his petulant demand for an unnecessary and medieval border wall. {time} 1830 There are 14,000 Federal workers in New York State whose pay has been impacted by this Trump shutdown, but I will share the story of one of my constituents. This is the reality of a constituent from the 13th Congressional District, someone I have the privilege to represent and know. That person is a NASA employee who, along with dozens of her colleagues, has been furloughed due to the Trump shutdown. Most Americans are unaware that NASA operates and conducts some of the most important climate change research in New York City through NASA labs right in the heart of New York City. My constituent's work is even more critical now than ever before, as our global climate is in its most fragile state, with record-shattering hurricanes pounding the Caribbean. We saw how Hurricane Maria ravaged through the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico and the Gulf Coast of our country, as well as the massive wildfires burning throughout California and other parts of the West Coast.…”