On the recordJanuary 16, 2019
In fact, I am not even sure I heard correctly. Trump, the President, opposes the dollar amount in the bill because the only emergency is building the wall? Did I hear that correctly, my friends? Madam Speaker, this shutdown, frankly, has gone on long enough. Perhaps, my good friends don't know the people who are suffering, who are living paycheck to paycheck and who have to worry about taking care of their kids. It is really puzzling to me that a statement like that is being made tonight. My friends, this shutdown has gone on long enough. This motion to recommit would only further prolong the shutdown and the suffering and the people who are really victims of this action. The bill we are voting on today is very similar to the same package that my Republican colleagues voted on back on December 21. H.R. 268 provides disaster relief to those communities affected by hurricanes, wildfires, typhoons, other natural disasters, and it funds the entire government through February 8. In fact, this package provides even more relief to those disaster-affected communities following the adoption of the bipartisan and Republican amendments here today. The only component that is not in this package that my friends on the other side of the aisle voted for in December is the President's wall money. So, to use this MTR to further delay the government, this doesn't make any sense to me at all, because this package being delayed is unconscionable.…
