Tim Kaine: “I rise to discuss the continuing effects of the shutdown of part of the government on American workers and the American…”

“I rise to discuss the continuing effects of the shutdown of part of the government on American workers and the American public. I want to begin by discussing the effect of the shutdown on the Coast Guard. Following that, I will talk about a visit that I actually just made to a restaurant at 7th and Pennsylvania Avenues that was opened for the purposes of offering free food to Federal employees and their families during the shutdown. Finally, I will address the proposal offered by the President on Saturday to reach an agreement on border security and immigration issues. To begin with, the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard is a branch of the U.S. military with a proud history. There are 42,000 active members of the Coast Guard. There are 7,500 reservists, 8,500 civilian employees, and nearly 50,000 Coast Guard retirees. All are affected by the shutdown, most working without pay, and others, particularly civilians, are furloughed without pay. In addition, the shutdown jeopardizes payments to the 50,000 Coast Guard retirees. Virginia has a significant Coast Guard presence, especially in Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia. Virginians perform all of the missions that the Coast Guard is entrusted to perform--search and rescues, drug interdictions, military missions, and law enforcement.…”