Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, this body has passed bipartisan bills to open up the government, yet this shutdown could become the longest one in the history of this country. My communities in Houston are feeling the real effects of this shutdown. Over one-in-five families in my district depend on food stamps. This shutdown continues to threaten their food security and, in some cases, their health and well-being. This issue hits our seniors especially hard, because over 11 percent of food stamp recipients are seniors and over three-quarters of those live alone. In Texas, almost 30,000 Federal employees are furloughed or working with no guarantee of a paycheck. At Houston's Hobby Airport, in my district, we may put air travelers at risk. TSA employees, air traffic controllers, and Customs and Border Protection agents are required to work without pay. No one should be forced to barter for their rent or food, be evicted from their home, or be forced to work without pay. We have passed bipartisan legislation to end this shutdown. Let's reopen our government and let's pay our workers. ____________________”