Today Republicans are shutting down this Congress for the next 53 days. That is true. Most Americans probably won't notice the difference since the Congress has accomplished so little this year. Last week, Republicans told us this House needed to act on their Homeland Safety and Security Act; but this week, they have abandoned that act because they were so fearful that it would lead to a discussion of gun violence. It is much like what happened last year when they had a much- ballyhooed border security bill that would do as much for the border, I guess, as Donald Trump. But at the thought that it might lead to a debate about real immigration reform, they shelved it, abandoned it, and have long forgotten it. When they leave prematurely today, they will have done nothing to accomplish a bipartisan response to the spreading Zika virus, which yesterday led to the birth of the first child with Zika-related birth defects in Texas. Experts say many more are to come. They will have done nothing about the lead contamination of families in Flint, nothing about justice reform, nothing about the budget. There is an unwillingness to cope with the problems American families face. They have so many needs. There are so many challenges our country faces that we need to work on, but this Congress is totally incapable of doing that work. ____________________
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