On the recordDecember 7, 2017
As I listened to the House Democratic whip lay out the case for the American public, I was struck by how stark the choices are and how much we are looking at failure at home and abroad. We are watching the reckless action of Trump with his declaration that we are going to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, further isolating America. We are alone in this instance. People who are in the Arab world, European allies, are deeply concerned that this will have a destabilizing effect. We are watching the countdown here as we are kind of scrambling to keep government open, when, for heaven's sake, these have been clear for months. Republicans occupy all the levels of power. Why can't they simply act to be able to send clear signals so the appropriators can work and government operates. We have watched the expiration of the Children's Health Insurance Program, wildly popular with people across the political spectrum to be able to have this significant enhancement of health for children in this country, even more important because of the Republicans' relentless assault on the Affordable Care Act and destabilizing insurance markets. Yet State after State, including my home State of Oregon, is facing the difficult task of sending out notices to families that they are no longer going to have access to this critical healthcare.…
