Louise Slaughter: “Mr. Speaker, it amazes me how glibly we talk about the fact that this is just another continuing resolution, we are…”

“Mr. Speaker, it amazes me how glibly we talk about the fact that this is just another continuing resolution, we are going to do something later. When immediately after September 11, 2001, we sprang into action here, passing legislation giving the world and certainly the people of the United States that the Congress was not afraid to meet its obligations, but certainly one of the most important obligations we have is to fund the Federal Government. Instead, we have dithered and dillied and dallied around discussing continuing resolutions. The Senate passes an omnibus bill. We will go to conference with them. We may do another CR. We just do not know. Are we going to do two budgets simultaneously? I really think it is outrageous that so little attention has been paid in the country to what has been going on here. Frankly, it distresses me that while all this is going on, we are back home in our districts when I think we should be here working. We made promises after September 11, couple of days later, we are going to fortify our Army at home. The President and most Members of Congress went to New York to Ground Zero promising enormous amounts of help and to do something about the borders of the United States. Mr. Speaker, the borders of the United States are in disarray.”