Sheila Jackson Lee: “I want to thank my colleague, the distinguished Congresswoman from California, for her leadership and her amazing…”

“I want to thank my colleague, the distinguished Congresswoman from California, for her leadership and her amazing journey here to the United States House of Representatives. It is clearly because of life stories like hers that we will be more effective in representing all of the American people, so I thank her for leading the Congressional Progressive Caucus this evening and really speaking to our colleagues and, yes, the American people. I know that the number 20 has many meanings. For 3-year-olds and 4- year-olds and 5-year-olds, you give them 20 pennies for their piggy bank and you can see their sparkling eyes, just really happy. You can count down 20 days till your vacation. It is reasonable. You can get ready, get new clothes and new suitcases. You may be able to count down if you are suffering from an illness and the doctor says that in 20 days things will be looking up. But in this instance, I am standing alongside of this sign, ``20 Days,'' because it represents pain and frustration. It certainly represents a sadness that is truly unnecessary, for we will approach the longest shutdown of the Federal Government, the longest abuse of power that the United States of America has ever seen. Just a few weeks ago, we saw the President of the United States indicate that he will take ownership of a shutdown. I think it is important to take note of the fact that this is a policy dispute, a simple policy dispute that is not catastrophic.…”